第13章

We were overtaken by as severe a thunder storm as I have ever seen, of which the King was in such abject fear that he commanded that we land at the Bishop of Durham's palace opposite which we then were.De Montfort, who was residing there, came to meet Henry, with all due respect, observing, 'What do you fear, now, Sire, the tempest has passed ?' And what thinkest thou old 'waxen heart' replied ? Why, still trembling, he said, 'I do indeed fear thunder and lightning much, but, by the hand of God, Itremble before you more than for all the thunder in Heaven !'""I surmise," interjected the grim, old man, "that De Montfort has in some manner gained an ascendancy over the King.Think you he looks so high as the throne itself ?""Not so," cried the oldest of the knights."Simon de Montfort works for England's weal alone -- and methinks, nay knowest, that he would be first to spring to arms to save the throne for Henry.He but fights the King's rank and covetous advisers, and though he must needs seem to defy the King himself, it be but to save his tottering power from utter collapse.But, gad, how the King hates him.For a time it seemed that there might be a permanent reconciliation when, for years after the disappearance of the little Prince Richard, De Montfort devoted much of his time and private fortune to prosecuting a search through all the world for the little fellow, of whom he was inordinately fond.This self-sacrificing interest on his part won over the King and Queen for many years, but of late his unremitting hostility to their continued extravagant waste of the national resources has again hardened them toward him."The old man, growing uneasy at the turn the conversation threatened, sent the youth from the room on some pretext, and himself left to prepare supper.

As they were sitting at the evening meal, one of the nobles eyed the boy intently, for he was indeed good to look upon; his bright handsome face, clear, intelligent gray eyes, and square strong jaw framed in a mass of brown waving hair banged at the forehead and falling about his ears, where it was again cut square at the sides and back, after the fashion of the times.

His upper body was clothed in a rough under tunic of wool, stained red, over which he wore a short leathern jerkin, while his doublet was also of leather, a soft and finely tanned piece of undressed doeskin.His long hose, fitting his shapely legs as closely as another layer of skin, were of the same red wool as his tunic, while his strong leather sandals were cross-gartered halfway to his knees with narrow bands of leather.

A leathern girdle about his waist supported a sword and a dagger and a round skull cap of the same material, to which was fastened a falcon's wing, completed his picturesque and becoming costume.

"Your son ?" he asked, turning to the old man.

"Yes," was the growling response.

"He favors you but little, old fellow, except in his cursed French accent.

"'S blood, Beauchamp," he continued, turning to one of his companions, "an'

were he set down in court, I wager our gracious Queen would he hard put to it to tell him from the young Prince Edward.Dids't ever see so strange a likeness ?""Now that you speak of it, My Lord, I see it plainly.It is indeed a marvel," answered Beauchamp.

Had they glanced at the old man during this colloquy, they would have seen a blanched face, drawn with inward fear and rage.

Presently the oldest member of the party of three knights spoke in a grave quiet tone.

"And how old might you be, my son ?" he asked the boy.

"I do not know."

"And your name ?"

"I do not know what you mean.I have no name.My father calls me son and no other ever before addressed me."At this juncture, the old man arose and left the room, saving he would fetch more food from the kitchen, but he turned immediately he had passed the doorway and listened from without.

"The lad appears about fifteen," said Paul of Merely, lowering his voice, "and so would be the little lost Prince Richard, if he lives.This one does not know his name, or his age, yet he looks enough like Prince Edward to be his twin.""Come, my son," he continued aloud, "open your jerkin and let us have a look at your left breast, we shall read a true answer there.""Are you Englishmen ?" asked the boy without making a move to comply with their demand.

"That we be, my son," said Beauchamp.

"Then it were better that I die than do your bidding, for all Englishmen are pigs and I loathe them as becomes a gentleman of France.I do not uncover my body to the eyes of swine."The knights, at first taken back by this unexpected outbreak, finally burst into uproarious laughter.

"Indeed," cried Paul of Merely, "spoken as one of the King's foreign favorites might speak, and they ever told the good God's truth.But come lad, we would not harm you -- do as I bid.""No man lives who can harm me while a blade hangs at my side," answered the boy, "and as for doing as you bid, I take orders from no man other than my father."Beauchamp and Greystoke laughed aloud at the discomfiture of Paul of Merely, but the latter's face hardened in anger, and without further words he strode forward with outstretched hand to tear open the boy's leathern jerkin, but met with the gleaming point of a sword and a quick sharp, "En garde !" from the boy.