Joshua! that I would lay my dog-whip
across your shoulders for daring to fill the air with these discordant
bellowings."

Taken aback at this ungentle speech, and scarce knowing how to answer it
fitly in the presence of the lady, Alleyne stood with his hand upon the
handle of the door, while Sir Nigel and his companions dismounted. At
the sound of these fresh voices, and of the tongue in which they spoke,
the stranger crashed his dish of nuts down upon the floor, and began
himself to call for the landlord until the whole house re-echoed with
his roarings. With an ashen face the white-aproned host came running
at his call, his hands shaking and his very hair bristling with
apprehension. "For the sake of God, sirs," he whispered as he passed,
"speak him fair and do not rouse him! For the love of the Virgin, be
mild with him!"

"Who is this, then?" asked Sir Nigel.

Alleyne was about to explain, when a fresh roar from the stranger
interrupted him.

"Thou villain inn-keeper," he shouted, "did I not ask you when I brought
my lady here whether your inn was clean?"

"You did, sire."

"Did I not very particularly ask you whether there were any vermin in
it?"

"You did, sire."

"And you answered me?"

"That there were not, sire."

"And yet ere I have been here an hour I find Englishmen crawling about
within it. Where are we to be free from this pestilent race? Can a
Frenchman upon French land not sit down in a French auberge without
having his ears pained by the clack of their hideous talk? Send them
packing, inn-keeper, or it may be the worse for them and for you."

"I will, sire, I will!" cried the frightened host, and bustled from
the room, while the soft, soothing voice of the woman was heard
remonstrating with her furious companion.

"Indeed, gentlemen, you had best go," said mine host. "It is but six
miles to Villefranche, where there are very good quarters at the sign of
the 'Lion Rouge.'"

"Nay," answered Sir Nigel, "I cannot go until I have seen more of this
person, for he appears to be a man from whom much is to be hoped. What
is his name and title?"

"It is not for my lips to name it unless by his desire. But I beg and
pray you, gentlemen, that you will go from my house, for I know not what
may come of it if his rage should gain the mastery of him."

"By Saint Paul!" lisped Sir Nigel, "this is certainly a man whom it
is worth journeying far to know. Go tell him that a humble knight of
England wo