y day
-- this same night?"

The worthy ecclesiastic laid a hand upon Gaston's shoulder.

"Boy," he said, "I will myself to the King this very day. The moon will
soon be up, and the way is familiar to me and my men. But thou shalt
tarry here. Thou hast travelled far today, and art weary and in need of
rest. Perchance, in this matter of the Sanghurst, I shall do better
without thee. Thou shalt see the King anon, and shalt tell him all thy
tale; but methinks this matter of Basildene had best be spoken of
betwixt him and me alone. Thou knowest that I have for long been in the
King's favour and confidence, and have managed many state matters for
him. Thou mayest therefore leave thy cause in my hands. I have all the
papers safe that thou broughtest from Gascony long since, and have left
in my care these many years. I have been awaiting my opportunity to lay
the matter of Basildene before the King, and now I trow that the hour
has come."

Gaston stopped short in his restless pacing, a bright light in his eyes.

"Thou thinkest to oust the Sanghurst thence -- to gain Basildene for
Raymond?"

"Ay, verily I do. It is your inheritance by right; the papers prove it.
Ye were deprived of it by force, and now the hour of restitution has
come. As to thee are secured the Gascon lands, when they can be wrested
from the hand of the foe, so shall Basildene be secured to Raymond,
albeit he has not won his spurs as thou hast done, boy, and that right
lustily. But I know much good of Raymond. He will worthily fill his
place. Go now to rest, boy, and leave this matter in mine hands. I
warrant thee the cause shall not suffer for being intrusted to me. Get
thee to rest. Fear not; and ere two days be passed thou shalt have
tidings of some sort from me."

Gaston would fain have been his uncle's companion on the road, but he
knew better than to insist. Master Bernard de Brocas well knew what he
was about, and was plainly deeply interested in the story he had heard.
Raymond had long been high in his favour. To cause to recoil upon the
head of the treacherous Sanghurst the vengeance he had plotted against
his own nephew, to punish him for his treachery -- to wrest from his
rapacious grasp the lands and the Manor of Basildene, was a task
peculiarly agreeable to the statesman, who knew well what he was about
and the master whom he served. Basildene was no great possession, but it
might be greatly increased in value, and there was rumour of buried