fancy, Francois. You know, you have been
practising in it almost since you were a child; and yet you admit
that you feel a great difference. Still, I daresay as the novelty
wears off I shall get accustomed to it, to some extent."

Chapter 5: Taking The Field.

A guide thoroughly acquainted with the country rode ahead of the
party, carrying a lantern fixed at the back of his saddle. They
had, after leaving the chateau, begun to mount the lofty range of
hills behind. The road crossing these was a mere track, and they
were glad when they began to descend on the other side. They
crossed the Clain river some ten miles above Poitiers, a few miles
farther forded the Vienne, crossed the Gartempe at a bridge at the
village of Montmorillon and, an hour later, halted in a wood, just
as daylight was breaking, having ridden nearly fifty miles since
leaving the chateau.

So far they had kept to the south of the direct course, in order to
cross the rivers near their sources. Every man carried provisions
for himself and his horse and, as soon as they had partaken of a
hearty meal, the armour was unstrapped, and all threw themselves
down for a long sleep; sentries being first placed, with orders to
seize any peasants who might enter the wood to gather fuel. With
the exception of the sentries, who were changed every hour, the
rest slept until late in the afternoon; then the horses were again
fed and groomed, and another meal was eaten.

At sunset the armour was buckled on again, and they started. They
crossed the Creuse at the bridge of Argenton about midnight and,
riding through La Chatre, halted before morning in a wood two miles
from Saint Amand. Here the day was passed as the previous one had
been.

"Tell me, Francois," Philip said, as they were waiting for the sun
to go down, "something about your cousin De la Noue. As we are to
ride with him, it is as well to know something about him. How old
is he?"

"He is thirty-six, and there is no braver gentleman in France. As
you know, he is of a Breton family, one of the most illustrious of
the province. He is connected with the great houses of Chateau-Briant
and Matignon. As a boy he was famous for the vigour and strength that
he showed in warlike exercises; but was in other respects, I have
heard, of an indolent disposition, and showed no taste for reading or
books of any kind. As usual among the sons of noble families, he went
up to the court of Henry the Second as a page;