Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-25
THE WHITE COMPANY
BY A. CONAN DOYLE.
CHAprER xvI1r-Continued.

CHAPTER XvIII-Conttnued. ~
The archer raised his hand In salute and
fastened forward. In the meantime Sir
Oliver had followed his brother knight, and
the two paced the poop together. Sir Nigel
in his plum colored velvet suit, with fiat cap
of the same. adorned in front with the Lady
Loring's glove and grit round with curling
ostrich feather. The lusty knight. on the
other hand, was clad IN the very latest
mode, with cote-hardie, doublet. pour-point.
court-pie, and paltock Of olive green, picked
out with pink and jagged at the edges. A
red chaperon or cap. with long hanging cor
nette. sat daintily on the back Of his black
curled head. while his gold-hued shoes were
twisted up la poulaine, as though the toes
were shooting forth tendril which might
hope In time to intwine itself around his
massive leg.
"Once more, Sir Oliver" said Sir Nigel,
looking shoreward with sparkling eyes, do
door which hath so often led us to all that
Is knightly and worthy. There flies the
princes banner. and 1t would be well that
we haste ashore and pay our obeisance to
him. The boats already swarm from the
bank"
There Is a goodly hostel near the west
gate which is famed for the stewing Of
spiced pullets.' remarked Sir Oliver. I'VE
might take the euSS Oh our munger OIL SIe
we seek the prince, for though his tables
are gay with damask and silver, he Is no
trencherman himself. and hath no sympathy
for those who are his betters.
His bettersr' SD
His betters before the tranchoir. lad.
Sniff not treason where none Is meant.
have seen him smile In his quiet way be-
cause I had looked for the fourth time to-
ward the carving SQUIRE. And indeed to
watch him dallying with a little goblet OF
bread, or slipping his cup OF thrice-watered
wine Is enough to make a man feel shame
at his own hunger. Yet war and glory, my
good friend. though well enough in their
way, will not serve to tighten such belt as
clasps my waist"
How read you that coat which hangs
over yonder galley. Alleyne?" asked Sir
Nigel.
Argent. a bend vert between ootises dan
1T Is a northern coat. I have seen It in
the train OF the Percies. From the shields
there is not one of these vessels which hath
not knight or baron aboard. I would mine
eyes were better. How read you this upon
the left?
Argent and azure, a barry wavy Of six"
''Ha! 1t is the sign of the Wiltshire Stour-
tons. And there beyond 1 see the red and
silver OF the Worsleys of Apuldercombe, who
like myself are of Hampshire lineage. Close
behind us is the moline cross Of the gallant
William Molyneux, and beside 1t the bloody
chevrons of the Norfolk Woodhouses, with
land. BY st. Paul! 1t would be very
strange thing II so noble company were to
gather without some notable deed OF arms
arising from it. And here Is our boat. Sir
Oliver, so 1t seems best to me that we
should go to the abbey with our squires.
leaving Master Hawtayne to have his own
way In the unloading"
The horses both of knights and squires
were speedily lowered into broad lighter
and reached the shore almost as soon as
their masters. Sir Nigel bent his knee de-
voutly as he put foot on land. and taking
small black patch from his bosom he bound
1t tightly over his left eye.
May the blessed George and the memory
of my sweet lady love raise high my hearth!
quoth he And as a token 1 VOW that I
will not take this patch from my eye until
have seen something of this country of
Spain, and done such small deed as 1t lies
in me to do. And this 1 swear upon the
cross of my sword and upon the glove of
my lady
I'm truth. you take me back twenty years,
Nigel quoth Sir Oliver. as they mounted
and rode slowly through the water gate.
After Cadsand. deem that the French
thought that we were an army Of the blind,
for there was scarce man who had not
closed an eye for the greater love and honor
of his lady. Yet it goes hard with you that you
should darken one side. when with both
open you can scarce tell a horse from a
mule. In truth. friend. l think that you
step over the line Of reason in this mat
ter"
Sir Oliver Buttesthorn.'' said the little
knight, shortly. II would have you to un-
derstand that, blind as l am, can yet
see the path of honor very clearly. and
that that is the road upon which I do
not crave another mans guidance" Ed.
by my SOUL" said Sir Oliver, you are
as tart as verjuice this mornIngl If you
are bent upon a quarrel with me. must
leave you to your humor and drop into
the Tete-d'Or here, for l marked a yarlet
pass the door who bore a smoking dish.
which had, methought, most excellent
smell"
"Nenny. nenny." cried his comrade, lay
ing his hand upon his knee: I'VE have
known each other overlong to fall out,
Oliver like two raw pages at their first
epreuves. You must come with me first
though sure 1 am that it would grieve
his heart that any gentle cavalier should
turn from his board to a common tavern.
But Is not that my Lord Delewar who
Our Lady be with you! And there is Sir
Robert Cheney. Good morrow, Robert!
1 am right glad to see you"
The two knights walked their horses
abreast. while Alleyne and Ford, with
John Northbury. who was squire to Sir
Oliver, kept some PAGES behind them,
spear s-length in front of Black Simon and
of the Winchester guidon bearer. North
bury. a lean. silent man, had been to
those parts before, and sat his horse with
rigid neck; but the two young squires
gazed eagerly to right or left. and plucked
each others sleeves to call attention to
the many strange things on every side of
them.
See to the brave stallsm cried Alleyne
See to the noble armor set forth, and the
costly taffeta-and oh, Ford. see to where
the scrivener sits with the pigments and
the inkhorns, and the rolls of sheepskin
as white as the Beaulieu naperyi Saw
man ever the like before?"
Nay, man. there are finer stalls in
Cheapside," answered Ford, whose father
had taken him to London on occasion of
one of the smithfield joustings. Il have
seen a silversmith's booth there which
would serve to buy either side of this
street. But mark these houses, AIleyne.
how they thrust forth upon the top. And
see to the coats-of-arms at every window.
and banner, or pencil on the roof"
And the churches!" cried Alleyne. "Phe
priory at Christchurch was a noble pile,
but II was cold and bare, methinks by one
of these, with their frettings,, and their
carvings. and their traceries. as though
some great ivy-plant or stone had curled
and wantoned over the walls"
And bark to the speech Of the folk!'
said Ford. WAS ever such a Kissing and
clacking? / wonder that they have not