The La Jara chronicle., 1906-07-27
CHAPTER TX.


Cir Nigel. who had entered the room
with n silvery- haired old lady upon his
arm. stared aghast at this sudden burst
"Maude. Maudew said he, shaking
his head, ait is more hard for me to
tenseore drunken archers Who Followed
mo to Guinne; Yet, hush! little one.
should know it. We will keep you
from the provost ma rshal this journey:
Keep a biithe face, FOR She who con-
fesses is shriven., And now, fair moth
had one yoa here nsr BY nj the for
your blood runs colder than it did;
here in good time comes my lady. with
to decide aught to import; but. indeed,
it was her own thought that you should
For have formed a good opinion
Of you, and can see that you are one one
whG be saa soaib sod the v deay
side. for he. recks so little of himself
to his needs and meet his wants. You
have seen the cloister; 1T were well
make YAK ehSee
you can rider" asked Sir Nigel:
looking at the youth with puckered
YES, have ridden much at the abb
begn .,o-o ., s,rs-src. ,s.w,xt n
friar's hack and n warriors destrier.
You can sing and piay?'
ooS, Si,t9le You fgte cnn assd pna SaNonry
II trust that you are lowly and SER
q have served al my life. my lord"
al, have carved two days a week for
"A model truly! wilt make a squire
Of s9uiress;, But toll me. pray eanst
:Mo. my lord; but &C could y, ,s lear1~ a5o-
ing that the weight of my helmet for
thirty years hath in some degree frayed
1T is for YOU also to bear the purse
50 free and gracious a temper rrt1 that The he
asked Miu.d AIMS fins Of fkiS hin. All these things
with some knowledge, of venerle, and
hound. with the grace and hardihood
and courtesy which are proper to your
age. VIII make you fit squire for SIR
SAlas. LADY, Alleyne answered ,.o,I II
know well the great honor me- thwt Worthy INV
to wait upon so renowned a knight,
yet am SO conscious of my own weak
'Modesty and a humble, mind. mind. ,5i5ts s2id
mi In page or squire. Your. words prove
that you have these. and all the rest
is RTt the wSr Of and sad Gt sir
the feast OF. st. Luke, for there lis, Is much m
leisure. therefore, il it please you to
take service under me, in which TO
And I have one favor to crave from
you added the lady Of the, the castle; nraience as
Alleyne turned to leave natrstan9 tnair 9reh much
learning. which you have acquired at
Beaulieu; I would have you you & give evifh az
us in discoursing with my daughter,
the Lady. Maude; for she is somewhat ,n,s far
nance: manees, sii which az do but iii her, empty
head with dreams Of enehanted han Father anie
from the Priory. but he is stricken with
gets small profit from his teaching: !
would have you do what you can with
Moman Rsni and and MtR Win AEfs@at percthy ny
And so Alieyne found himself not
only chosen as squire o to Ioznis Rnlghv When
was was even further from the part which
he had thought to play in the world; =
and bustle. Of furbishing of arms and
ciang of hammer from all the south
aoa f9o@ tSorpe to thope sPrsad and
to castle, that the old game was asa, a.oo1
once more, and the iiGms thn earlv ahd ii sprins
Great news this for that fierce old
country whose trade for a g1nerat,odd hnns . od
heq hep IMPORTS hGg Gat prisoners. @ For six years
her sons had chafed under an unwonted
to their birthright.. The old pa,Iii soldiers iers
OF Crecy. of Nogent. and OF Poictiiehrs Piehs
glad to think that nnce they myre mig and
gladder still were the hot youth wno
had chafred for years under the mar
tial tales of their sires To pierce ,o nfbe the
the tanners of the fiery Moors, to FOL
low the greatest captain OF the na age, ga .ds to
when the marches of Picardy and Nor
mandy were as bare and bleak as dnn tno
prospeets roSsa for W a race of warriors. From
sea to sea there was stringing OF BOWS
in the cottage and clang OF steer IN 'he
Nor did 1t take long for every strong,
hold to pour forth Its cnTairy. nTanTsb ahe the
late autumn and the early winter every
road and country lane resounded Win
nj ssir and trumpet. with the neigh or
In the ancient and populous county
Of HAMPSHIRE there was no lack oI
leaders or of soldiers. for service
which promised either honor or profit.
name and the fame OF Sir Nigel Loring
drew toWard him the to seeye under so
valiant a leader. Archers from the
New Forest and the Forest OF Bere; nS,r
which is watered by the Stour, the
Avon, and the Itchen. young cavaliers
from the ancient Hampshire houses. al
were pushing for Christchurch to take
service unders the banner of the five
scarlet roses.
And now. could Sir Nigel have shown
The bachelies of land which the laws
OF rank required. he might well have
cut his forked pennon into square
the field as would have supported the
dignity of a banneret. But poverty
was heavy upon him: his land was
s,na nj ills cnffers emntY. and the very