have　speech　with　you。　　Would　that　I　could　do　what　you　ask；　for　I
  also　have　a　fair　lady　to　whom　I　would　fain　send　you。　　What　use　are
  you　to　me；　Raoul；　since　I　have　gained　no　honor　in　the　taking　of
  you？　　How　is　it　with　you　now？〃
  The　young　Frenchman　had　risen　to　his　feet。　　〃Do　not　take　my
  sword；〃　he　said。　　〃I　am　yours；　rescue　or　no　rescue。　　I　think　now
  that　I　could　mount　my　horse；　though　indeed　my　head　still　rings
  like　a　cracked　bell。〃
  Nigel　had　lost　all　traces　of　his　comrades；　but　he　remembered　Sir
  Robert's　words　that　he　should　ride　upon　the　sun　with　the　certainty
  that　sooner　or　later　he　would　strike　upon　the　road。　　As　they
  jogged　slowly　along　over　undulating　hills；　the　Frenchman　shook　off
  his　hurt　and　the　two　chatted　merrily　together。
  〃I　had　but　just　come　from　France；〃　said　he；　〃and　I　had　hoped　to
  win　honor　in　this　country；　for　I　have　ever　heard　that　the　English
  are　very　hardy　men　and　excellent　people　to　fight　with。　　My　mules
  and　my　baggage　are　at　Evran；　but　I　rode　forth　to　see　what　I　could
  see；　and　I　chanced　upon　your　army　moving　down　the　road；　so　I
  coasted　it　in　the　hopes　of　some　profit　or　adventure。　　Then　you
  came　after　me　and　I　would　have　given　all　the　gold　goblets　upon　my
  father's　table　if　I　had　my　harness　so　that　I　could　have　turned
  upon　you。　　I　have　promised　the　Countess　Beatrice　that　I　will　send
  her　an　Englishman　or　two　to　kiss　her　hands。〃
  〃One　might　perchance　have　a　worse　fate；〃　said　Nigel。　　〃Is　this
  fair　dame　your　betrothed？〃
  〃She　is　my　love；〃　answered　the　Frenchman。　　〃We　are　but　waiting　for
  the　Count　to　be　slain　in　the　wars；　and　then　we　mean　to　marry。　　And
  this　lady　of　thine；　Nigel？　　I　would　that　I　could　see　her。〃
  〃Perchance　you　shall；　fair　sir；〃　said　Nigel；　〃for　all　that　I　have
  seen　of　you　fills　me　with　desire　to　go　further　with　you。　　It　is　in
  my　mind　that　we　might　turn　this　thing　to　profit　and　to　honor；　for
  when　Sir　Robert　has　spoken　with　you；　I　am　free　to　do　with　you　as　I
  will。〃
  〃And　what　will　you　do；　Nigel？〃
  〃We　shall　surely　try　some　small　deed　upon　each　other；　so　that
  either　I　shall　see　the　Lady　Beatrice；　or　you　the　Lady　Mary。　　Nay；
  thank　me　not；　for　like　yourself；　I　have　come　to　this　country　in
  search　of　honor；　and　I　know　not　where　I　may　better　find　it　than　at
  the　end　of　your　sword…point。　　My　good　lord　and　master；　Sir　John
  Chandos；　has　told　me　many　times　that　never　yet　did　he　meet　French
  knight　nor　squire　that　he　did　not　find　great　pleasure　and　profit
  from　their　company；　and　now　I　very　clearly　see　that　he　has　spoken
  the　truth。〃
  For　an　hour　these　two　friends　rode　together；　the　Frenchman　pouring
  forth　the　praises　of　his　lady；　whose　glove　he　produced　from　one
  pocket；　her　garter　from　his　vest；　and　her　shoe　from　his
  saddle…bag。　　She　was　blond；　and　when　he　heard　that　Mary　was　dark；
  he　would　fain　stop　then　and　there　to　fight　the　question　of　color。
  He　talked　too　of　his　great　chateau　at　Lauta；　by　the　head　waters　of
  the　pleasant　Garonne；　of　the　hundred　horses　in　the　stables；　the
  seventy　hounds　in　the　kennels；　the　fifty　hawks　in　the　mews。　　His
  English　friend　should　come　there　when　the　wars　were　over；　and　what
  golden　days　would　be　theirs！　　Nigel　too；　with　his　English　coldness
  thawing　before　this　young　sunbeam　of　the　South；　found　himself
  talking　of　the　heather　slopes　of　Surrey；　of　the　forest　of　Woolmer；
  even　of　the　sacred　chambers　of　Cosford。
  But　as　they　rode　onward　towards　the　sinking　sun；　their　thoughts
  far　away　in　their　distant　homes；　their　horses　striding　together；
  there　came　that　which　brought　their　minds　back　in　an　instant　to
  the　perilous　hillsides　of　Brittany。
  It　was　the　long　blast　of　a　trumpet　blown　from　somewhere　on　the
  farther　side　of　a　ridge　toward　which　they　were　riding。　　A　second
  long…drawn　note　from　a　distance　answered　it。
  〃It　is　your　camp；〃　said　the　Frenchman。
  〃Nay；〃　said　Nigel；　〃we　have　pipes　with　us　and　a　naker　or　two；　but
  I　have　heard　no　trumpet…call　from　our　ranks。　　It　behooves　us　to
  take　heed；　for　we　know　not　what　may　be　before　us。　　Ride　this　way；
  I　pray　you；　that　we　may　look　over　and　yet　be　ourselves　unseen。〃
  Some　scattered　boulders　crowned　the　height；　and　from　behind　them
  the　two　young　Squires　could　see　the　long　rocky　valley　beyond。
  Upon　a　knoll　was　a　small　square　building　with　a　battlement　round
  it。　　Some　distance　from　it　towered　a　great　dark　castle；　as　massive
  as　the　rocks　on　which　it　stood；　with　one　strong　keep　at　the
  corner；　and　four　long　lines　of　machicolated　walls。　　Above；　a　great
  banner　flew　proudly　in　the　wind；　with　some　device　which　glowed　red
  in　the　setting　sun。　　Nigel　shaded　his　eyes　and　stared　with
  wrinkled　brow。
  〃It　is　not　the　arms　of　England；　nor　yet　the　lilies　of　France；　nor
  is　it　the　ermine　of　Brittany；〃　said　he。　　〃He　who　holds　this　castle
  fights　for　his　own　hand；　since　his　own　device　flies　above　it。
  Surely　it　is　a　head　gules　on　an　argent　field。〃
  〃The　bloody　head　on　a　silver　tray！〃　cried　the　Frenchman。　　〃Was　I
  not　warned　against　him？　　This　is　not　a　man；　friend　Nigel。　　It　is　a
  monster　who　wars　upon　English；　French　and　all　Christendom。　　Have
  you　not　heard　of　the　Butcher　of　La　Brohiniere？〃
  〃Nay；　I　have　not　heard　of　him。〃
  〃　His　name　is　accursed　in　France。　　Have　I　not　been　told　also　that
  he　put　to　death　this　very　year　Gilles　de　St。　Pol；　a　friend　of　the
  English　King？〃
  〃Yes；　in　very　truth　it　comes　back　to　my　mind　now　that　I　heard
  something　of　this　matter　in　Calais　before　we　started。〃
  〃Then　there　he　dwells；　and　God　guard　you　if　ever　you　pass　under
  yonder　portal；　for　no　prisoner　has　ever　come　forth　alive！　　Since
  these　wars　began　he　hath　been　a　king　to　himself；　and　the　plunder
  of　eleven　years　lies　in　yonder　cellars。　　How　can　justice　come　to
  him；　when　no　man　knows　who　owns　the　land？　　But　when　we　have　packed
  you　all　back　to　your　island；　by　the　Blessed　Mother　of　God；　we　have
  a　heavy　debt　to　pay　to　the　man　who　dwells　in　yonder　pile！〃
  But　even　as　they　watched；　the　trumpet…call　burst　forth　once　more。
  It　came　not　from　the　castle　but　from　the　farther　end　of　the
  valley。　　It　was　answered　by　a　second　call　from　the　walls。　　Then　in
  a　long；　straggling　line　there　came　a　wild　troop　of　marauders
  streaming　homeward　from　some　foray。　　In　the　van；　at　the　head　of　a
  body　of　spearmen；　rode　a　tall　and　burly　man；　clad　in　brazen　armor；
  so　that　he　shone　like　a　golden　image　in　the　slanting　rays　of　the
  sun。　　His　helmet　had　been　loosened　from　his　gorget　and　was　held
  before　him　on　his　horse's　neck。　　A　great　tangled　beard　flowed　over
  his　breastplate；　and　his　hair　hung　down　as　far　behind。　　A　squire
  at　his　elbow　bore　high　the　banner　of　the　bleeding　head。　　Behind
  the　spearmen　were　a　line　of　heavily　laden　mules；　and　on　either
  side　of　them　a　drove　of　poor　country　folk；　who　were　being　herded
  into　the　castle。　　Lastly　came　a　second　strong　troop　of　mounted
  spearmen；　who　conducted　a　score　or　more　of　prisoners　who　marched
  together　in　a　solid　body。
  Nigel　stared　at　them　and　then；　springing　on　his　horse；　he　urged　it
  along　the　shelter　of　the　ridge　so　as　to　reach　unseen　a　spot　which
  was　close　to　the　castle　gate。　　He　had　scarce　taken　up　his　new
  position　when　the　cavalcade　reached　the　drawbridge；　and　amid　yells
  of　welcome　from　those　upon　the　wall；　filed　in　a　thin　line　across
  it。　　Nigel　stared　hard　once　more　at　the　prisoners　in　the　rear；　and
  so　absorbed　was　he　by　the　sight　that　he　had　passed　the　rocks　and
  was　standing　sheer　upon　the　summit。
  〃By　Saint　Paul！〃　he　cried；　〃it　must　indeed　be　so。　　I　see　their
  russet　jackets。　　They　are　English　archers！〃
  As　he　spoke；　the　hindmost　one；　a　strongly　built；　broad…shouldered
  man；　looked　round　and　saw　the　gleaming　figure　above　him　upon　the
  hill；　with　open　helmet；　and　the　five　roses　glowing　upon　his
  breast。　　With　a　sweep　of　his　hands　he　had　thrust　his　guardians
  aside　and　for　a　moment　was　clear　of　the　throng。
  〃Squire　Loring！　　Squire　Loring！〃　he　cried。　　〃It　is　I；　Aylward　the
  archer！　　It　is　I；　Samkin　Aylward！〃　　The　next　minute　a　dozen　hands
  had　seized　him；　his　cries　were　muffled　with　a　gag；　and　he　was
  hurled；　the　last　of　the　band；　through　the　black　and　threatening
  archway　of　the　gate。　　Then　with　a　clang　the　two　iron　wings　came
  together；　the　portcullis　swung　upward；　and　captives　and　captors；
  robbers　and　booty；　were　all　swallowed　up　within　the　grim　and
  silent　fortress。
  XX。　　HOW　THE　ENGLISH　ATTEMPTED　THE　CASTLE　OF　LA　BROHINIERE
  For　some　minutes　Nigel　remained　motionless　upon　the　crest　of　the
  hill；　his　heart；　like　lead　within　him；　and　his　eyes　fixed　upon　the
  huge　gray　walls　which　contained　his　unhappy　henchman。　　He　was
  roused　by　a　sympathetic　hand　upon　his　shoulder　and　the　voice　of
  his　young　prisoner　in　his　ear。
  〃Peste！〃　said　he。　　〃They　have　some　of　your　birds　in　their　cage；
  have　they　not？　　What　then；　my　friend？　　Keep　your　heart　high！　　Is
  it　not　the　chance　of　war；　to…day　to　them；　to…morrow　to　thee；　and
  death　at　last　for　us　all？　　And　yet　I　had　rather　they　were　in　any
  hands　than　those　of　Oliver　the　Butcher。〃
  〃By　Saint　Paul；　we　cannot　suffer　it！〃　cried　Nigel　distractedly。
  〃This　man　has　come　with　me　from　my　own　home。　　He　has　stood　between
  me　and　death　before　now。　　It　goes　to　my　very　heart　that　he　should
  call　upon　me　in　vain。　　I　pray　you；　Raoul；　to　use　your　wits；　for
  mine　are　all　curdled　in　my　head。　　Tell　me　what　I　should