The Captain of the Wight

nside the ill-fitting but massive oak door, he was for

niture. Lord Woodville inherited and shared all the lavish tastes of his mother and his family. His brother, the ill-fated Lord Scales, had been the patron of Caxton,

magnificent belt of scarlet Cordovan leather, richly studded with gold and jewelled mountings. A finely-chased silver-hilted poignard hung at his right side, and his shapely legs were set off to fullest advantage by his tight-fitting hose, which, after the fashion of the time, were parti-coloured, of light blue and white in alternate pieces. Long and fanciful scarlet Cordovan slippers encased his feet, and a rich purple mantle, lined with the fur of the silver fox, hung over the back of his chair. One elegantly-formed hand rested on the desk, where a few characters had been inscribed on a sheet of paper before him, while the other arm hung ne

by Warwick, when he was brought before him a prisoner at Calais, showed the malignity of hate and contempt the nobles felt for the family, a hatred arising, no doubt, from jealousy at the Woodvilles' sudden rise to distinction, but aggravated by a contempt for their accomplishme

of the Wight rose from his chair, the dreamy look of

t been a dullard on the way;

thick mist ab

hese sea fogs are sudden in their uprising

as the mist had overspread the land and sea the latter part of the da

d the Captain thoughtfully; then he

rcely believe it was not a dream. The utter contrast between the present moment, the elegant surroundings, the absolute security of that splendid castle, with all its guards, walls, men-at-arms, bastions, arch

child?" said

my way, and--" and

y page,

et on by a b

dared to lay hands

and then Ralph narrated th

eeling until Ralph came to the part where the man bid him take a no

s it, my

rywhere--he could not find it. Seeing his ne

overlooked it. Search each of thy pockets one by

lle, for he had not troubled to replace the rubbish which the man had left upon the gras

have dropped it when I delivered thy m

I shall get it in the morning; or thou canst ride in search of it. But tho

thou mayest see the stain of the grass

d attack thee, do thee no harm, take no gold from thee, or strip thee of thy rich

I can show thee the place to-mo

who captured you? Did

was of marvellous strength, and of a wondrous bigness; and he

chance thou mayest find the missive in thy saddle housings, or in thy dress, as thou reti

retire, and Ralph left the room, glad enough to have escaped so easily, m

ow need for a fire, since the season was drawing on, and it was near the end of

ry faded flowers, a long lock of wavy soft brown hair, and a golden heart. He gazed at the silent relics, his lips moved, and he crossed himself devoutly

ayer. When he rose up, his face looked white and haggard. Before retiring to rest, he drew aside the curtain over his door, opened it, and calle

ies of everyday life, the bright morning sun, the boyish chaff of his companions, and the decisive tone of Tom o' Kingston

d Maurice Woodville had each a rather swollen cheek and lip, wh

given him by Ralph, who had almost forgotten the s

gone, and the Captain had gotten well away, that rogue 'Pig's Eyes' got Bowerman to attack us; but we gave them enou

d, and that Sir John thinks two of you young men can break a lance in it. Now I'd be loth you bore yourselves boorishly, so

usiness of yours if my nose is well or amiss. Let me have a ru

you've enough to do to hit the Sar

ong, and they were this morning going to tilt at a large and roughly-made figure of a Saracen, who held a shield in one arm, and a loose club in the other. The figure, when hit on the shi

to his horse's side and rode at the figure. He hit the shield fairly

harder buffet next time. Now, Mast

ally wild, and had anybody suggested to Willie Newenhall that he was anything else than a very handsome, irresistible youth, he would have regarded that person with the pitying scorn justly due to the envious and the blighted. Sleepy, and unfinished in the matter of his toilette--for it was seven o'clock in the morning, and Willie dearly loved his bed--he heard the order to put his horse in motion at the quintain. With another prolonged yawn he shook his horse's reins, and trotted lazily towards the post. It so happened that he had not fastened up his tunic properly. As the pace of the horse increased, and he prepared to level hi

instructor, with whom Willie Newenhall was no favourite, scoffingly

now rudely awakened, got

r a page as thee. For you both grow, and that's all; saving that a turnip is good to eat, which is more than can be s

rd. As he neared the post, with knees and voice he encouraged his horse, and with loose reins and gathering speed he st

ll make the best lance of them all. But, when all

said Dicky Cheke. "What's gone wrong? H

very buxom and florid spinster, who was the inheritor of certain lands and tenements sufficient to be a powerful attraction, over and above her othe

after the exercise had been repeated several times, the little

he performers to try their best, and even the stol

o their work, Master

named gentleman will; and so, for their size, will the other two young masters. But as for Master Newenhall, you'd as wel

ts, and burgonets, and get your targets. This worshipful kn

ppy. He could scarcely open his mouth among men, but with a garrulous woman--if only she were married, or beyond the chance of having designs upon himself--he was quite at home, and would discuss by the hour the latest fashion in 'cotes hardies,' or 'furbelows,' or any other of the mysteries usually never spoken of by men, or, if referred to at all, m

r although they were practised every day at this exercise, yet it was a difficult matter to accomplish in armour. Bowerman and Ralph, owing to the advantage of height, were able to do it gracefully enough, but poor Dicky ignominiously failed, while Maurice managed to scramble up with

ten appearance of Sir John Trenchard, formed a becoming contrast to the burly form and soldierly bearing of the esquire, sitting his horse to the right of the little squad, and completing the group on the yellow gravel of the yard. Behind all, the towering keep, with its base hidden by thick brushwood, carefully trimmed and topped, stood up dark and grim against the eastern sky. To the south east, Mountjoy's Tower, and the long line of wall betwe

figures of the garrison of the castle who were off duty, while the flitting shadows on the

from the main tower the banner of the Captain of the