colm, with a few archers of the royal guard, in case torches
should be wanted on the way home.

How magnificent were the surroundings of the great Duke, it would be
wearisome to tell. The retainers in the court of the hotel looked, as
James said, as if honest steel and good cloth were reckoned as churls,
and as if this were the very land of Cockaigne, as Sir Richard
Whittington had dreamt it. Neither he nor St. Andrew himself would know
their own saltire made in cloth of silver, 'the very metal to tarnish!'

Sir Nigel had to tell their rank, ere the porters admitted the small
company: but the seneschal marshalled them forward in full state. And
James never looked more the king than when, in simple crimson robe, the
pure white cross on his breast, his auburn hair parted back from his
noble brow, he stood towering above all heads, passively receiving the
Duke of Burgundy's elaborate courtesies and greetings, nor seeming to
note the lavish display of gold and silver, meant to amaze the poorest
king in Europe.

Exceeding was the politeness shown to him--even to the omission of the
seneschal's tasting each dish presented to the Duke, a recognition of the
presence of a sovereign that the two Scots scarcely understood enough for
gratitude.

Malcolm was the best off of the two at the supper; for James had of
course to be cavalier to the sickly fretful-looking Dauphiness, while
Malcolm fell to the lot of the Lady Anne, who, though not beautiful, had
a kindly hearty countenance and manner, and won his heart by asking
whether the Demoiselle de Luxemburg were still in the suite of Madame of
Hainault; and then it appeared that she had been her convent mate and
warmest friend and admirer in their girlish days at Dijon, and was now
longing to see her. Was she as much set as ever on being a nun?

Meantime, the Duke was pompously making way for the King of Scots to
enter his cabinet, where--with a gold cup before each, a dish of comfits
and a stoup of wine between them--their interview was to take place.

'These dainties accord with a matter of ladies' love,' said James, as the
Duke handed him a sugar heart transfixed by an arrow.

'Good, good,' said Philippe. 'The alliance is noble and our crowns and
influence might be a good check in the north to your mighty neighbour;
nor would I be hard as to her dowry. Send me five score yearly of such
knaves as came with Buchan, and I could fight the devil himself. A
morning gift mig