arving children, nor how
Ralf hurried off headlong to the lower town to send them immediate relief
in bread, wine, and doctors. The gay, good-natured, thoughtless lad no
mere harboured malice for the chastisement than if his tutor had caught
him idling; but things went deeper with Malcolm. True, he had undergone
many a brutal jest and cruel practical joke from his cousins; but that
was all in the family, not like a blow from an alien king, and one not
apologized for, but followed up by a rebuke that seemed to him unjust,
lowering him in his own eyes and those of Esclairmonde, and making him
ready to gnaw himself with moody vexation.

'You here, Malcolm!' said King James, entering his quarters; 'did you
miss me in the throng? I have not seen you all day.'

'I have been insulted, Sir,' said Malcolm. 'I pray your license to
depart and carry my sword to my kinsmen in the French camp.'

'How now! Is it the way to treat an insult to run away from it?'

'Not when the world judges men to be on equal terms, my lord.'

'What! Who has done you wrong, you silly loon?'

'King Henry, Sir; he struck me with his fist, and rated me like his
hound; and I will not eat another morsel of his bread unless he would
answer it to me in single combat.'

'Little enough bread you'd eat after that same answer!' ejaculated James.
'Oh! I understand now. You were with young Hotspur and the rest that
set on the poor townsmen, and Harry made small distinction of persons!
Nay, Malcolm, it was ill in you, that talked of so loathing spulzie!'

'I wanted no spulzie. There were Armagnacs hid in the house, and the
King would not hear us.'

'He knew that story too well. Were you asleep or idling last night, when
he warned all, on no plea whatever, to break into a house, but, if the
old tale of treachery came up, to set a guard, and call one of the
captains? Did you hear him--eh?'

'I can take chiding from you, Sir, but neither words nor blows from any
other king in Christendom, still less when he threatens me that I have
deferred my knighthood! As if I would have it from him!'

'From me you will not have it until he have pardoned Ralf Percy,' said
James, dryly. 'Malcolm, I had not thought you such a fule body! Under a
captain's banner, what can be done but submit to his rule? I should do
so myself, were Salisbury or March in command.'

'Then, Sir,' said Malcolm, much hurt that the King did not take his part,
'I shall carry my servic