page I gave you instructions to keep an eye upon was, I understand, for the most part of that day in rear with the women and baggage; the only time he was in the mêlée was whilst delivering a message from ourself, what time Lord Folkstone brought him into the field." Well, my liege," returned the Ruffian, "be it as it may-under favour, I speak-this piece of incomprehensible waggery, it is my duty to inform your Highness is just now laid by the heels." "Ha!" exclaimed the King, "how mean ye by that, sirrah ?" "Marry," replied the Bravo, "your Highness must know that, being full of valour as a young weasel, the lad fastened a quarrel upon Sir Raoul of Brabant, and the two have been taken in the act of brawling in the precincts, by the Queen's guard, and clapped into a dungeon by her especial orders." "This must be immediately looked to," said John, "our mother's somewhat antiquated court of love must not be suffered to interfere with our own affaires de cœur. The matter must be righted at once, good Bossu. Sir Raoul of Brabant is especially employed in our service, and we would not at present that even the other culprit should come under our mother's wrathful judgment for this offence. Look ye," resumed the King, after a short pause, “bear this, our signet-ring, to the officer of the Queen's guard. Bid him release the prisoners you have mentioned, and we will ourself bear him harmless. That done, give Raoul de Brabant a hint to depart without delay upon the mission already entrusted to him; and do you yourself see the page lodged in the wing of the castle appropriated to the attendants of the Queen-mother. You understand?" "In the quarter appropriated to her Highness's ladies?" said De Bossu, inquiringly. "You heard our order, sirrah," said the Monarch, "begone!" The Bravo withdrew to execute his mission, and the King prepared to address himself, after completing his change of costume, to an adventure he had that night resolved upon whilst present at the ball, which was no other than a visit to the apartment of Bertha Daundelyonne. "This haughty Saxon beauty," he said, ❝contemns our suit; she has escaped me once, but to-night I will woo her like a soldier." Whilst he spoke the Monarch took the lamp from the table, and leaving his apartment, sought the wing of the castle in which the lodgings of Queen Elinor's attendants were situate. CHAPTER V. THE CAPTIVE AT FALAISE. It is the curse of Kings, to be attended And, on the winking of authority, To understand a law. SHAKESPERE. In a small chamber of the strong castle of Falaise sat a lad of some sixteen years of age. In his countenance were to be seen traces of the deepest dejection; whilst, so variable are the feelings of youth, in the hollow eye and ghastly countenance, a wild and almost insane expression might have been observed, as some faint ray of hope illumined his features. It was Arthur of Bretagne, who had now been for some weeks a close prisoner at Falaise. But in that short time, how changed was the beau tiful youth from what he had appeared when he was first captured at Mirabeau. The apartment in which he was at present confined was a small chamber in the eastern tower of the castle. The walls were of immense thickness, rendering the inmate as secure from all escape or rescue, as the living reptile we sometimes find entombed in the heart of the quarry. Whilst the inner flanking wall, which on this side the keep rose full twenty. feet in height, and was reared scarce ten paces distant, excluded the slightest glimmer of sunshine, through the narrow embrazure constituting the sole window of the apartment. Dim and gloomy was the aspect of the interior, cold and deathlike was the feeling it conveyed to the inmate. No companionable fire cheered the lonely hour; one worm-eaten heavy oaken table, and the chair he occupied, together with a low truckle-bed, forming the accommodation of a prince. Alone, in gloom and despair, with no possible amusement to beguile the heavy time;-ill, without an eye to mark his grief, or a single human being to care if death |