At Agincourt

t she looked paler now. She, too, had evidently been thinking over the summons that he had received, and there was an expressio

ere is no hope of help from England, for there is no force in Calais that could contend with that which would probably be sent against me; therefore I take it that if attacked the castle must in the end fall, in which case probably its defenders would all be put to the sword. I myself should most likely be killed, the estates forfeited, and you and the children taken prisoners to Paris. Now it seems to me that that is not to be thought of. It remains to decide, therefore,

France has been waning. I would not that our children should lose this fair estate when it can well be preserved by some slight sacrifice on my part. Were I and the children to go to Paris it would put an end to all doubts as to your loyalty, and you would hold the castle and estates. The peace now patched up between the parties will not last, and as soon as they are engaged with each other, and ha

t part from

ld, if occasion arose, take counsel with him. Then I could have two or three stout men-at-arms who might ride in my train in peaceful garb as retainers. As to a maid I can, if I need one, hire her in Paris. Surely, husband, it would be far better so than that we should lose castle and land. There could be little dan

ould be safe at Charles's court, indeed safer than here. The citizens of Paris are indeed turbulent, wh

might perhaps escape, or at the very worst of all they could but keep me in duress in my chamber. Who ever heard of a woma

er go as a ho

im. Even if the worst comes to the worst we can but lose castle and land, as we must lose it now if I do not go. Nay, my dear lord, do not wrinkle your brow, we cannot strive against the might of France; and at present we must bow our heads a

ide, Margaret, and yet I cannot

that I should be separated from you for a time than that we should risk anot

hall send over a message at once to Sir Aylmer, and beg him to choose and send me another fifty archers-with that reinforcement I could make head against any attack save in the greatest force-for there is

e of Guy; he is a good lad, and will make a brave knight some day. I shall now make him one of my esquires, and as such he will always be in attendance on you; and assuredly Agnes and Charlie will, as well as yourself

ery good-tempered and obliging. He is shrewd too, and with his strength and courage I should feel that I could

e archers while he is away. I have noticed that Tom is picking up the language fast. He is always ready to do little kindnesses to the women an

d better choose the

rey and Albert Bongarde. They are both stout men-at-arms, prudent fellows, and not given to the wine-cup. As a fourth I would say Jean Picard's son; he is a stout fellow too, and I know that, but for his father's hopes that he will one day succeed him

with four such defenders, to say nothing of

when, after the birth of Agnes and Charles, you were forced to stay in England when I came over here. I felt it a dreary time then, and shall fe

d maybe I shall get so fond of court that you will have

your preparations. I will spea

d, where Guy was superintending the

o go to Paris with the children as a hostage for me. In no case, as it seems to me, are Dame Margaret and the children likely to be in danger; nevertheless, I am greatly loth for them to go. However, seeing no other way out of the business, I have consented, and we have arranged that you shall accompany her. You will go as my esquire, and I shall install you as such this afternoon. You will take Long Tom, two of the men-at-arms, and Robert Picard, all good men and true; but at the same time the burden and responsibility must

ateful to you indeed for the confidence that you show in me,

had endeared her greatly to them. On her previous visits they had seen comparatively little of her; she had been to them simply their lord's English wife, now they knew her as a friend. Nevertheless, their regret at her leaving was softened by

ee men-at-arms brought up the rear. Charlie was in high spirits; he regarded the trip as a sort of holiday, and had been talking, ever since he got up, of the wonders that he should see in Paris. Agnes better understood the situation, and nothing but the feeling that she ought to emulate the calmness of her mother restrained her from bursting into tears when her father lifted her on to her seat. The herald led the way, followed by his two pursuivants. Dame Margaret checked her horse in the middle of the court-yard, and said

e castle behind them; "the journey is a long one, and it will go all th

ine city, and as I have never seen a bigger town than Southampton, I doubt not that

have brought you

k, and point me out at once as being an Englishman, seeing that the French archers carry no bows of such length; so I have, even as you see, wr

ance of your ne

ever any saying, and an archer without his bow is but a poor creature

m; still, I hope that neither

times be to my taste, I have no desire to be mixed up i

is to-night, Lady Mo

ake to Noyon on the following day, and thence to Compiègne or to Senlis, and the next day will take us to Paris. It all depends how far and how fast we ride each day. But these matters will be arranged by the herald. Were we to go by the shor

utly; "we have got Long Tom and Robert Picar

ozen vagrants, but brave as they all are they could do naught if a large body surprised us; but be as

t time you made us stay with you when there was fighting going

hat we are not likely to do so; and you must remember t

rald saved them from all question. At each halting-place Dame Margaret, her children and maid, were lodged in the house of one of the principal citizens, while Guy and the men-at-arms lay at an inn. The troubled state of the times was only manifest by the number of men-at-arms in the streets,

l guests we could not have been more honourably treated, and I have no doubt that although we shall be much less important personages at Paris than as

ght at the inn from some travellers who had just left it, that although the majority of the people there are in favour of Burgundy, yet that much discontent exists on account of the harsh mea

be ruled over by such a scum as that; but it was the same in Flanders, where Von Artevelde, our ally, a great man and the chief among them, was

t the king is ill,

herald. It will be John of Burgundy w

ds are not to be trusted. For my part, however, I wonder that after the (agreement with) the

waded through blood. Burgundy, too, as I hear, has winning manners and a soft tongue, and can, when it pleases him, play the part of a frank and honest man. At least it must be owned that t

aret, that it were best to arrive in Paris as early as possible, in order that the question of their lo

aret said, as they rode through the gates,

at any time you wish to leave we shall be able to procure disg

escape. If not released before that, I must then, at all hazards, try to escape, for Sir Eustace, knowing that I am here, would be placed in a sore strait indeed; both by his own inclinations and as a vassal of England, for he would want to join

h France vigorously, and though plenty of cause has been given by the capture of his castles in Guien

y lord thinks that it will be but a short time before the English banner will be unfurled in France; and this is one of the reasons why he consented to my b

!" Guy said, after a pause, "one seems t

replied; "but they are gay enough below. See how crowde

, they are so scowling and sombre, truly were we not on horseback I should keep m

these scowling knaves that I would gladly have a chance of cracking had I my quarter-sta

round, "if you talk of cracking skulls I

pologetically. "I did but say that I should like to do it,

the attention of our foes. We English are not loved in Paris, and the less you open your mouth here the better; for when Burgundians and Armagnacs

aring the cognizance of Burgundy were moving about, a group of nobles were standing on the steps, while some gr

y came up. "A royal herald and his pursuivants; a young dame and a very fair

's lord, whoever he may be. I know her not, and think that she cannot have bee

ed the herald up the steps. She had made a motion of her he

e going in to rate Burgundy himself. I think that she must be English by her looks, though what an English woman can be doing here in Paris is

e under the safe-conduct of a herald to lay a complaint; but I think with you that she is English. The girl

looks as if he could strike a shrewd blow even now. Let us question their

our men, and Robert

ur lady, y

oy, may it please you, s

de Vil

d for his wife's estates, and his people have always counted themselves Englis

f five knights and 400 men. Sir Clugnet himself was sorely wounded. We all ought to feel mightily obliged to him for the check, which sent them back post-hast

Armagnacs," the other said, "and that the duke does not care about having so st

sh are sleeping dogs," he said; "there is no

metimes, and even try to bite when they do so; moreover

are not likely to repeat the mistakes that cost us so dearly before. Besides, the English have had no real fighting

banner on this side of the sea. There can be no doubt that they are stout fighting-men, and seeing ho

t fight side by side with the English; and though they might propose an alliance with the Islanders, it wo

d these fell back, leaving him standing by himself. An eminently politic man, the duke saw at once by the upright figure and the fearless air with which Dame Margaret entered the hall, that this was a case where

aret of Villeroy, has journeyed hither with me in acco

ative in Paris, lady," t

promptness in thus c

against my lord, and in order to assure him of my lord's loyalty as a faithful vassal for the land he holds, I have willingly journeyed here with my children, although in much grief for

stace, and the king was greatly pleased to hear of the heavy check thus inflicted upon the

at he should have been asked to admit a garrison of strangers to aid him to hold it. Sir Eustace has no desire to meddle with the troubles of the times; he holds h

Y MARGARET MAKES HER O

GUN

malady; until he is so I have-for I was made acquainted with your coming by messenger sent forward by Monjoie-arranged for you to be lodged in all honour at the hou

en I am received by my lord the king I shall be able to prove to him that Sir Eustace i

Victor Pierrepoint, I pray you to see this lady to the