wine； but at the harsh sound of the snapping bolts he raised his
face and looked angrily around him。 It was a strange powerful
head； tawny and shaggy like a lion's； with a tangled beard and a
large harsh face； bloated and blotched with vice。 He laughed as
the newcomers entered； thinking that two of his boon companions
had returned to finish a flagon。 Then he stared hard and he
passed his hand over his eyes like one who thinks he may be
dreaming。
〃Mon Dieu！〃 he cried。 〃Who are you and whence come you at this
hour of the night？ Is this the way to break into our royal
presence？〃
Simon approached up one side of the table and Aylward up the
other。 When they were close to the King； the man…at…arms plucked
a torch from its socket and held it to his own face。 The King
staggered back with a cry； as he gazed at that grim visage。
〃Le diable noir！〃 he cried。 〃Simon； the Englishman！ What make
you here？〃
Simon put his hand upon his shoulder。 〃Sit here！〃 said he； and he
forced the King into his seat。 〃Do you sit on the farther side of
him； Aylward。 We make a merry group； do we not？ Often have I
served at this table； but never did I hope to drink at it。 Fill
your cup； Samkin； and pass the flagon。〃
The King looked from one to the other with terror in his bloodshot
eyes。 〃What would you do？〃 he asked。 〃Are you mad； that you
should come here。 One shout and you are at my mercy。〃
〃Nay； my friend； I have lived too long in your house not to know
the ways of it。 No man…servant ever slept beneath your roof； for
you feared lest your throat would be cut in the night…time。 You
may shout and shout； if it so please you。 It chanced that I was
passing on my way from England in those ships which lie off La
Brechou； and I thought I would come in and have speech with you。〃
〃Indeed； Simon； I am right glad to see you；〃 said the King；
cringing away from the fierce eyes of the soldier。 〃We were good
friends in the past； were we not； and I cannot call to mind that I
have ever done you injury。 When you made your way to England by
swimming to the Levantine there was none more glad in heart than！〃
〃If I cared to doff my doublet I could show you the marks of what
your friendship has done for me in the past；〃 said Simon。 〃It is
printed on my back as clearly as on my memory。 Why； you foul dog；
there are the very rings upon the wall to which my hands were
fastened； and there the stains upon the boards on which my blood
has dripped！ Is it not so； you king of butchers？〃
The pirate chief turned whiter still。 〃It may be that life here
was somewhat rough； Simon； but if I have wronged you in anyway； I
will surely make amends。 What do you ask？〃
〃I ask only one thing； and I have come hither that I may get it。
It is that you pay me forfeit for that you have lost your wager。〃
〃My wager； Simon！ I call to mind no wager。〃
〃But I will call it to your mind； and then I will take my payment。
Often have you sworn that you would break my courage。 ‘By my
head！' you have cried to me。 ‘You will crawl at my feet！' and
again： ‘I will wager my head that I will tame you！' Yes； yes； a
score of times you have said so。 In my heart； as I listened； I
have taken up your gage。 And now； dog； you have lost and I am
here to claim the forfeit。〃
His long heavy sword flew from its sheath。 The King； with a howl
of despair； flung his arms round him； and they rolled together
under the table。 Aylward sat with a ghastly face； and his toes
curled with horror at the sight； for he was still new to scenes of
strife and his blood was too cold for such a deed。 When Simon
rose he tossed something into his bag and sheathed his bloody
sword。
〃Come； Samkin； our work is well done；〃 said he。
〃By my hilt； if I had known what it was I would have been less
ready to come with you；〃 said the archer。 〃Could you not have
clapped a sword in his fist and let him take his chance in the
hall？〃
〃Nay； Samkin； if you had such memories as I； you would have wished
that he should die like a sheep and not like a man。 What chance
did he give me when he had the power？ And why should I treat him
better？ But； Holy Virgin； what have we here？〃
At the farther end of the table a woman was standing。 An open
door behind her showed that she had come from the inner room of
the house。 By her tall figure the comrades knew that she was the
same that they had already seen。 Her face had once been fair； but
now was white and haggard with wild dark eyes full of a hopeless
terror and despair。 Slowly she paced up the room； her gaze fixed
not upon the comrades； but upon the dreadful thing beneath the
table。 Then as she stooped and was sure she burst into loud
laughter and clapped her hands。
〃Who shall say there is no God？〃 she cried。 〃Who shall say that
prayer is unavailing？ Great sir； brave sir； let me kiss that
conquering hand！〃
〃Nay； nay； dame； stand back！ Well； if you must needs have one of
them； take this which is the clean one。〃
〃It is the other I crave … that which is red with his blood！ Oh！
joyful night when my lips have been wet with it！ Now I can die in
peace！〃
〃We must go； Aylward；〃 said Simon。 〃In another hour the dawn will
have broken。 In daytime a rat could not cross this island and
pass unseen。 Come； man； and at once！〃
But Aylward was at the woman's side。 〃Come with us； fair dame；〃
said he。 〃Surely we can； at least； take you from this island； and
no such change can be for the worse。〃
〃Nay；〃 said she； the saints in Heaven cannot help me now until
they take me to my rest。 There is no place for me in the world
beyond； and all my friends were slain on the day I was taken。
Leave me； brave men； and let me care for myself。 Already it
lightens in the east； and black will be your fate if you are
taken。 Go； and may the blessing of one who was once a holy nun go
with you and guard you from danger！〃
Sir Robert Knolles was pacing the deck in the early morning； when
he heard the sound of oars； and there were his two night…birds
climbing up the side。
〃So； fellow；〃 said he； 〃have you had speech with the King of
Sark？〃
〃Fair sir； I have seen him。〃
〃And he has paid his forfeit？〃
〃He has paid it； sir！〃
Knolles looked with curiosity at the bag which Simon bore。 〃What
carry you there？〃 he asked。
〃The stake that he has lost。〃
〃What was it then？ A goblet？ A silver plate？〃
For answer Simon opened his bag and shook it on the deck。
Sir Robert turned away with a whistle。 〃'Fore God！〃 said he； 〃it
is in my mind that I carry some hard men with me to Brittany。〃
XIX。 HOW A SQUIRE OF ENGLAND MET A SQUIRE OF FRANCE
Sir Robert Knolles with his little fleet had sighted the Breton
coast near Cancale； they had rounded the Point du Grouin； and
finally had sailed past the port of St。 Malo and down the long
narrow estuary of the Rance until they were close to the old
walled city of Dinan； which was held by that Montfort faction
whose cause the English had espoused。 Here the horses had been
disembarked； the stores were unloaded； and the whole force
encamped outside the city； whilst the leaders waited for news as
to the present state of affairs； and where there was most hope of
honor and profit。
The whole of France was feeling the effects of that war with
England which had already lasted some ten years； but no Province
was in so dreadful a condition as this unhappy land of Brittany。
In Normandy or Picardy the inroads of the English were periodical
with intervals of rest between； but Brittany was torn asunder by
constant civil war apart from the grapple of the two great
combatants； so that there was no surcease of her sufferings。 The
struggle had begun in 1341 through the rival claims of Montfort
and of Blois to the vacant dukedom。 England had taken the part of
Montfort； France that of Blois。 Neither faction was strong enough
to destroy the other； and so after ten years of continual
fighting； history recorded a long ineffectual list of surprises
and ambushes； of raids and skirmishes； of towns taken and retaken；
of alternate victory and defeat； in which neither party could
claim a supremacy。 It mattered nothing that Montfort and Blois
had both disappeared from the scene； the one dead and the other
taken by the English。 Their wives caught up the swords which had
dropped from the hands of their lords； and the long struggle went
on even more savagely than before。
In the south and east the Blois faction held the country； and
Nantes the capital was garrisoned and occupied by a strong French
army。 In the north and west the Montfort party prevailed； for the
island kingdom was at their back and always fresh sails broke the
northern sky…line bearing adventurers from over the channel。
Between these two there lay a broad zone comprising all the center
of the country which was a land of blood and violence； where no
law prevailed save that of the sword。 From end to end it was
dotted with castles； some held for one side； some for the other；
and many mere robber strongholds； the scenes of gross and
monstrous deeds； whose brute owners； knowing that they could never
be called to account； made war upon all mankind； an