ence, or rather whited it over like
a sepulchre, the King thrust his head out at the door of the hall, and
summoned Le Balafre into his apartment. "My good soldier," he said,
"thou hast served me long, and hast had little promotion. We are here in
a case where I may either live or die; but I would not willingly die an
ungrateful man, or leave, so far as the Saints may place it in my power,
either a friend or an enemy unrecompensed. Now I have a friend to be
rewarded, that is thyself--an enemy to be punished according to his
deserts, and that is the base, treacherous villain; Martius Galeotti,
who, by his impostures and specious falsehoods, has trained me hither
into the power of my mortal enemy, with as firm a purpose of my
destruction as ever butcher had of slaying the beast which he drove to
the shambles."

"I will challenge him on that quarrel, since they say he is a fighting
blade, though he looks somewhat unwieldy," said Le Balafre. "I doubt not
but the Duke of Burgundy is so much a friend to men of the sword that
he will allow us a fair field within some reasonable space, and if your
Majesty live so long, and enjoy so much freedom, you shall behold me do
battle in your right, and take as proper a vengeance on this philosopher
as your heart could desire."

"I commend your bravery and your devotion to my service," said the King.
"But this treacherous villain is a stout man at arms, and I would not
willingly risk thy life, my brave soldier."

"I were no brave soldier, if it please your Majesty," said Balafre, "if
I dared not face a better man than he. A fine thing it would be for me,
who can neither read nor write, to be afraid of a fat lurdane, who has
done little else all his Life!"

"Nevertheless," said the King, "it is not our pleasure so to put thee in
venture, Balafre. This traitor comes hither, summoned by our command. We
would have thee, so soon as thou canst find occasion, close up with him,
and smite him under the fifth rib.--Dost thou understand me?"

"Truly I do," answered Le Balafre, "but, if it please your Majesty, this
is a matter entirely out of my course of practice. I could not kill you
a dog unless it were in hot assault, or pursuit, or upon defiance given,
or such like."

"Why, sure, thou dost not pretend to tenderness of heart," said the
King; "thou who hast been first in storm and siege, and most eager, as
men tell me, on the pleasures and advantages which are gained on such
occasions by