alms instead of swearing oaths,
and I have been paid debts that have been owing to me for years, all
because of these sermons."

"An awesome tale, truly," said Hugh. "Yet like this bishop I believe
that what Sir Andrew says will come to pass, for I know well that he is
not as other men are."

That night, by special leave, Hugh waited on the King, and with him Grey
Dick, who was ever his shadow.

"What is it now, Sir Hugh de Cressi?" asked Edward.

"Sire, after the great battle, nigh upon a year ago, you told me that
I must serve you till Calais fell. I have served as best I could
and Calais has fallen. Now I ask your leave to go seek my enemy--and
yours--Sir Edmund Acour, Count de Noyon."

"Then you must go far, Sir Hugh, for I have tidings that this rogue who
was not ashamed to wear another man's armour, and so save himself
from your sword, is away to Italy this six months gone, where, as the
Seigneur de Cattrina, he has estates near Venice. But tell me how things
stand. Doubtless that Red Eve of yours--strangely enough I thought
of her at Crecy when the sky grew so wondrous at nightfall--is at the
bottom of them."

"That is so, Sire," and he told him all the tale.

"A strange case truly, Sir Hugh," said the King when he had heard it
out. "I'll write to Clement for you both, but I doubt me whether you
and your Eve will get justice from him, being English. England and
Englishmen find little favour at Avignon just now, and mayhap Philip
has already written on behalf of de Noyon. At the best His Holiness will
shear you close and keep you waiting while he weighs the wool. No, Red
Eve is right: this is a knot soonest severed by the sword. If you should
find him, de Noyon could scarce refuse to meet you, for you shall fight
him as the champion of our cause as well as of your own. He's at Venice,
for our Envoy there reported it to me, trying to raise a fresh force of
archers for the French.

"You have leave to go, Sir Hugh, who deserve much more, having served
us well," went on the King. "We'll give you letters to Sir Geoffrey
Carleon, who represents us there, and through him to the Doge. Farewell
to you, Sir Hugh de Cressi, and to you, Captain Richard the Archer.
When all this game is played, return and make report to us of your
adventures, and of how de Noyon died. The Queen will love to hear the
tale, and your nuptials and Red Eve's shall be celebrated at Westminster
in our presence, for you have earned no less.