At Agincourt

emen round him when Margaret left the chamber. "Methinks that sh

r if need were. But we must make some allowance for her heat; it is no pleasant thing to be taken a

re it? He himself is a vassal both of England and France, and should the balance be placed before him, there can be little doubt that her weight would incline him to England. How

to be as fair,

might be no bad plan to mate her to a Frenchman. It is true that there is the boy, but the fief might well be bestowed upon her if so mated, on the ground that the boy would likely take after h

time comes, my lord duke, I may remind you of what you have said. 'Tis a fair young face, honest and

urt-yard. As they appeared at the entr

f escorting you to your lodgings," he said; "

led the way, and the rest of the party followed in the same order in which they had come. The distance was short, and beyond a few questions by the knight as to the journey and how she had been car

abode. My wife will do all that

o be thus forced upon your hospitality, and regr

d us for the honour of entertaining you. The house is large, and we have no family. Chambers are already p

ith me, and I am sure that my esquire here, Master Guy Aylmer, will gladly s

large room upstairs unoccupied, and I will place pallets for

p of which Dame Leroux was standing to receive her guests. She w

eel at once that her visit was not regarded as an infliction. "We are qui

nd a welcome. This is my daughter Agnes, and my son Charles." Then she turned to Sir Hugo: "I pray you to give my thanks to his grace

ke," he said, "who will, I am sure, b

d and ridden off he called two servitors, and bade one carry the luggage upst

ard, "you will return hither; you will find a meal prepared f

This is at your entire service, Lady Margaret," she said. "The bedroom behind it is for yourself

t; and my son and esquire can therefore occupy the second room. B

These are our regular guest-chambers, and your being here will make no change

ed. You citizens of Paris are far in advance of us in your ideas of comfort and luxury, and the apartments both at Villeroy and

but a guest, and an honoured and welcome one. I will leave you now. If there is aught that you desire, I pray you to ring that bell on the table; refreshments will b

rgaret said warmly. "We know no one in this great city, and shall

hink of this?" she asked when

ouches and tables, and this great warm rug that covers all the floor, how s

luxuriously furnished a room. I only hope that we may stay here for some time. The best of it is that these good people evidently do not regard us as a burden. No doubt they are pleas

A large ewer and basin of silver stood on a table which was covered with a white cloth, snowy towels hung beside it; the hangings of t

g her hands. "You ought to have your ro

fashion. That wardrobe alone is worth a knight's ransom, and the ewer and basin are fit for a king. I would that your

was served. To this Guy sat down with them, for except when there were guests, when his place was behind his lo

uy, what think

n evil face, and one which accords well with the foul murder of the king's brother. However, as I see not that he has aught to gain by holding you here,-save that he thinks it will ensure our lord's keeping hi

ance of goodwill, but most men would have considered it a heavy tax, even though, as I expect, we shall not remain here long. Doubtless, however, the

estion, went below and found the four men sitting in the

en to the ho

comfortably bestowed, with

uiring of me whether there is aught for them to do. You can arrange among yourselves which shall stay in, taking turns off duty. Tom, you had better not go out till after dark. There is something in the cut of your garments which tells that you are not French. Robert wil

sire to go out at present, for after riding for the last six

town struck him as gloomy and sombre. The palaces of the nobles were veritable fortresses, the str

wander about in this d

he man-at-arms, who ke

er now, for methinks that nine out of ten of the fellows loitering about would cu

hat it was a sort of fair. Here were sword-players and mountebanks, pedlars who vended their wares at a lower price than those at which they were sold within the limits of the city, booths at which wine and refreshments could be obtained. Here many soldiers wer

he crowd was everywhere large. They stopped for a minute or two in front of a booth of more pretensions than the generality. In fron

earned doctor in Europe, who can read the stars, cast your horoscope, foret

sed in dark garments with a long black clo

stering to him one of my wonderful potions; he at once recovered and devoted himself to my service. I have infallible remedies for every disease, therefore do you who a

the intention of enlisting in the service of our good duke, and who, I foresee, will attain rank and honour and become a distinguished soldier if he does but act prudently at the critical moment, while if he takes a wrong turn misfortune and death will befall him. I see a youth of gentle blood who will become a brave knight, and will better his

obert Picard whispered in Guy's

llow must be shrewd, or he would not have so quickly drawn his conclusions. I will go in and speak to him presently,

exciting the laughter of the crowd by asserting that there was a holy ma

ld be whipped and bran

d his mark this time. We are not the only two monks here," he went on as the other turned upon him

Half an hour later Guy returned to the booth of the doctor, and went in by a side entrance, to which those who wished to consult the learned man had been directed by the negro. The latter was at the entrance, and, observing that Guy's condition was above that of the majority of his master's clients, at once took him into an inner apartment divided from the rest of the tent by a hanging. Over the top of this was str

my mistress and her daughter were not of French blood, and though I am much less fair, it was a pretty safe guess to suppose that I also was of their country. I need not tell you that I have not come here

tall conical cap, and

shrewdness and parts, he is alone and is a foreigner, and maybe I can be of service to him; therefore I shot my shaft, and, as you see, with success. I said to myself: This youth, being a stranger, will know of no one to whom he can turn for information, and I can furnish him with almost any that he may require. I come in contact with the highest and the lowest, for the Parisians are credulous, and after dark there are some of rank and station who come to my doors for filtres and nostrums, or to have th

ased speaking. "Having, as you say, good clients besides your gains

r to me, for whose sake I value my life-it might be well for me that I should have one friend in England who would act as protectress to her should aught befall me. Your mistress is a stranger here, and in the hands of enemies. I may be of use to her. I know this population of Paris, and can perhaps give her better information of

myself I may say at once that it recommends itself to me as excellent. We are, as you say, strangers here, and know of no one from whom we might obtain information as to what is going on. My mistress, if not an actual prisoner, is practically so, being held with her children as hostages for my lord's loyalty to France. She is the kindest of ladies, and should she authorize me to enter into further communication with you, you may

e o'clock, I will meet you there and conduct you to my abo

all I call yo

aly should I have been safe from the dagger of the assassin, therefore I fled to France, and for ten years have maintained myself by the two arts which so often go together, astrology and buffoonery. I had always been fond of knowledge, and had learned all that could be taught in the grand science of astrology, so that however

ven given the matter a thought. Montepone, however, evidently believed in his powers of foreseeing the future, and such powers did not in themselves seem altoget

and what had become of you. It was only the thought that there might have been others before you, and that you had to wait your turn before seeing him, that

ge happening to me. I have but talked to the man as to how he came to know me, and it is as I

w a man who bought a powder that was to cure his wife of jealousy; and indeed it did, for it straightway killed her, and he was hung. I think that I

f. I doubt not that the nostrums he sells are perfectly harmless,

to the house of the pro

of Paris, Guy?" Dame Marg

rness of narrow streets. But indeed I have had somewhat of an adventure, and one which I think may p

is honest, Guy?" she a

motive for making my acquaintance save what he stated. His story seemed to me to be a natural one; but I shall be able to judge bet

refore there is no harm that he can do us, while on the other hand you may learn much from him, and will gather in a short time whether he can be trusted. Then by all means go and meet him this evening. But it would be as well to take Tom with you

be his turn to go out with one of the others this evening

me?" Long Tom said, when Guy

to carry it, for in a street broil, where there is room to swing it, you could desire no better weapon, in such strong hands as yours, Tom. Besides, you can knock down and disable with it and no great harm is done, whereas if you used your s

e streets were already almost deserted; those who were abroad hurried along looking with suspicion at all whom they met, and walking in the middle of the road so as to avoid being taken by surprise by anyone lurking in the doorways or at the corners of alleys. Once or twice men came out and stared at Guy and his companion by the light of the lanterns suspended across the streets, but there was nothing about their appearance to encourage an attack, and the stalwart figure of the archer promised hard bl

should fall on his face, waited for a minute, and then replace

ver to-day, sir, and are you not ex

ecting I shall know that he has sent you, though, i

ne," the

. Why is he no

lect would call upon him this evening, and he therefore sent me to the rendez

aris, I did not care to be wandering through the street

placed me in a corner of the porch, and then returned by himself, telling me to stir not until I saw you; and that should y

er," Guy said, "and am

e for a moment alone, and he walked back with G

ut to join him; "the person I expected was unable to come h

, when Guy said, "You had best walk with us. If you keep in front, it will seem as if you were guidin

ter of an hou