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saddle…bags and gathering the armor of those who had fallen； or
searching for their own scattered arrows。
Suddenly； however； as the Prince was turning toward the bush which
he had chosen for his headquarters； there broke out from behind
him an extraordinary uproar and a group of knights and squires
came pouring toward him； all arguing； swearing and abusing each
other in French and English at the tops of their voices。 In the
midst of them limped a stout little man in gold…spangled armor；
who appeared to be the object of the contention； for one would
drag him one way and one another； as though they would pull him
limb from limb。 〃Nay； fair sirs； gently； gently； I pray you！〃 he
pleaded。 〃There is enough for all； and no need to treat me so
rudely。〃 But ever the hubbub broke out again； and swords gleamed
as the angry disputants glared furiously at each other。 The
Prince's eyes fell upon the small prisoner； and he staggered back
with a gasp of astonishment。
〃King John！〃 he cried。
A shout of joy rose from the warriors around him。 〃The King of
France！ The King of France a prisoner！〃 they cried in an ecstasy。
〃Nay； nay； fair sirs； let him not hear that we rejoice！ Let no
word bring pain to his soul！〃 Running forward the Prince clasped
the French King by the two hands。
〃Most welcome； sire！〃 he cried。 〃Indeed it is good for us that so
gallant a knight should stay with us for some short time； since
the chance of war has so ordered it。 Wine there！ Bring wine for
the King！〃
But John was flushed and angry。 His helmet had been roughly torn
off； and blood was smeared upon his cheek。 His noisy captors
stood around him in a circle； eying him hungrily like dogs who
have been beaten from their quarry。 There were Gascons and
English； knights； squires and archers； all pushing and straining。
〃I pray you； fair Prince； to get rid of these rude fellows；〃 said
King John； 〃for indeed they have plagued me sorely。 By Saint
Denis！ my arm has been well…nigh pulled from its socket。〃
〃What wish you then？〃 asked the Prince； turning angrily upon the
noisy swarm of his followers。
〃We took him； fair lord。 He is ours！〃 cried a score of voices。
They closed in； all yelping together like a pack of wolves。 〃It
was I； fair lord！〃 … 〃 Nay； it was I！〃 … 〃 You lie； you rascal； it
was I！〃 Again their fierce eyes glared and their blood…stained
hands sought the hilts of their weapons。
〃Nay； this must be settled here and now！〃 said the Prince。 〃I
crave your patience； fair and honored sir； for a few brief
minutes； since indeed much ill…will may spring from this if it be
not set at rest。 Who is this tall knight who can scarce keep his
hands from the King's shoulder？〃
〃It is Denis de Morbecque； my lord； a knight of St。 Omer； who is
in our service； being an outlaw from France。〃
〃I call him to mind。 How then； Sir Denis？ What say you in this
matter？〃
〃He gave himself to me； fair lord。 He had fallen in the press；
and I came upon him and seized him。 I told him that I was a
knight from Artois； and he gave me his glove。 See here； I bear it
in my hand。〃
〃It is true； fair lord！ It is true！〃 cried a dozen French voices。
〃Nay； sir； judge not too soon！〃 shouted an English squire； pushing
his way to the front。 〃It was I who had him at my mercy； and he
is my prisoner； for he spoke to this man only because he could
tell by his tongue that he was his own countryman。 I took him；
and here are a score to prove it。〃
〃It is true； fair lord。 We saw it and it was even so；〃 cried a
chorus of Englishmen。
At all times there was growling and snapping betwixt the English
and their allies of France。 The Prince saw how easily this might
set a light to such a flame as could not readily be quenched。 It
must be stamped out now ere it had time to mount。
〃Fair and honored lord；〃 he said to the King； 〃again I pray you
for a moment of patience。 It is your word and only yours which
can tell us what is just and right。 To whom were you graciously
pleased to commit your royal person？〃
King John looked up from the flagon which had been brought to him
and wiped his lips with the dawnings of a smile upon his ruddy
face。
〃It was not this Englishman；〃 he said； and a cheer burst from the
Gascons； 〃nor was it this bastard Frenchman；〃 he added。 〃To
neither of them did I surrender。〃
There was a hush of surprise。
〃To whom then； sir？〃 asked the Prince。
The King looked slowly round。 〃There was a devil of a yellow
horse；〃 said he。 〃My poor palfrey went over like a skittle…pin
before a ball。 Of the rider I know nothing save that he bore red
roses on a silver shield。 Ah！ by Saint Denis； there is the man
himself； and there his thrice…accursed horse！〃
His head swimming； and moving as if in a dream； Nigel found
himself the center of the circle of armed and angry men。
The Prince laid his hand upon his shoulder。 〃It is the little
cock of Tilford Bridge；〃 said he。 〃On my father's soul； I have
ever said that you would win your way。 Did you receive the King's
surrender？〃
〃Nay； fair lord； I did not receive it。〃
〃Did you hear him give it？〃
〃I heard； sir； but I did not know that it was the King。 My master
Lord Chandos had gone on； and I followed after。〃
〃And left him lying。 Then the surrender was not complete； and by
the laws of war the ransom goes to Denis de Morbecque； if his
story be true。〃
〃It is true；〃 said the King。 〃He was the second。〃
〃Then the ransom is yours； Denis。 But for my part I swear by my
father's soul that I had rather have the honor this Squire has
gathered than all the richest ransoms of France。〃
At these words spoken before that circle of noble warriors Nigel's
heart gave one great throb； and he dropped upon his knee before
the Prince。 〃Fair lord； how can I thank you？〃 he murmured。
〃These words at least are more than any ransom。〃
〃Rise up！〃 said the smiling Prince； and he smote with his sword
upon his shoulder。 〃England has lost a brave Squire； and has
gained a gallant knight。 Nay； linger not； I pray！ Rise up； Sir
Nigel！〃
XXVII。 HOW THE THIRD MESSENGER CAME TO COSFORD
Two months have passed； and the long slopes of Hindhead are russet
with the faded ferns … the fuzzy brown pelt which wraps the
chilling earth。 With whoop and scream the wild November wind
sweeps over the great rolling downs； tossing the branches of the
Cosford beeches； and rattling at the rude latticed windows。 The
stout old knight of Duplin； grown even a little stouter； with
whiter beard to fringe an ever redder face； sits as of yore at the
head of his own board。 A well…heaped platter flanked by a foaming
tankard stands before him。 At his right sits the Lady Mary； her
dark； plain； queenly face marked deep with those years of weary
waiting； but bearing the gentle grace and dignity which only
sorrow and restraint can give。 On his left is Matthew； the old
priest。 Long ago the golden…haired beauty had passed from Cosford
to Fernhurst； where the young and beautiful Lady Edith Brocas is
the belle of all Sussex； a sunbeam of smiles and merriment； save
perhaps when her thoughts for an instant fly back to that dread
night when she was plucked from under the very talons of the foul
hawk of Shalford。
The old knight looked up as a fresh gust of wind with a dash of
rain beat against the window behind him。 〃By Saint Hubert； it is
a wild night！〃 said he。 〃I had hoped to…morrow to have a flight
at a heron of the pool or a mallard in the brook。 How fares it
with little Katherine the peregrine； Mary？〃
〃I have joined the wing； father； and I have imped the feathers；
but I fear it will be Christmas ere she can fly again。〃
〃This is a hard saying；〃 said Sir John； 〃for indeed I have seen no
bolder better bird。 Her wing was broken by a heron's beak last
Sabbath sennight； holy father； and Mary has the mending of it。〃
〃I trust； my son； that you had heard mass ere you turned to
worldly pleasure upon God's holy day；〃 Father Matthew answered。
〃Tut； tut！〃 said the old knight； laughing。 〃Shall I make
confession at the head of my own table？ I can worship the good
God amongst his own works； the woods and the fields； better than
in yon pile of stone and wood。 But I call to mind a charm for a
wounded hawk which was taught me by the fowler of Gaston de Foix。
How did it run？ ‘The lion of the Tribe of Judah； the root of
David； has conquered。' Yes； those were the words to be said three
times as you walk round the perch where the bird is mewed。〃
The old priest shook his head。 〃Nay； these charms are tricks of
the Devil；〃 said he。 〃Holy Church lends them no countenance； for
they are neither good nor fair。 But how is it now with your
tapestry； Lady Mary？ When last I was beneath this roof you had
half done in five fair colors the story of Theseus and Ariadne。〃
〃It is half done still； holy father。〃
〃How is this； my daughter？ Have you then so many calls？〃
〃Nay； holy father； her thoughts are otherwhere；〃 Sir John
answered。 〃She will sit an hour at a time； the needle in her hand
and her soul a hundred leagues from Cosford House。 Ever since the
Prince's battle … 〃
〃Good father； I beg you … 〃
〃Nay