whether I deserved to be so treated, fair
kinsman?" answered Quentin; "and you, my lord, know that I am no tale
bearer; nor shall either question or torture draw out of me a word to
King Louis's prejudice, which may have come to my knowledge while I was
in his service.--So far my oath of duty keeps me silent. But I will not
remain in that services in which, besides the perils of fair battle with
mine enemies, I am to be exposed to the dangers of ambuscade on the part
of my friends."

"Nay, if he objects to lying in ambuscade," said the slow witted Le
Balafre, looking sorrowfully at the Lord Crawford, "I am afraid, my
lord, that all is over with him! I myself have had thirty bushments
break upon me, and truly I think I have laid in ambuscade twice as often
myself, it being a favourite practice in our King's mode of making war."

"It is so indeed, Ludovic," answered Lord Crawford; "nevertheless, hold
your peace, for I believe I understand this gear better than you do."

"I wish to Our Lady you may, my lord," answered Ludovic; "but it
wounds me to the very midriff, to think my sister's son should fear an
ambushment."

"Young man," said Crawford, "I partly guess your meaning. You have met
foul play on the road where you travelled by the King's command, and you
think you have reason to charge him with being the author of it."

"I have been threatened with foul play in the execution of the King's
commission," answered Quentin; "but I have had the good fortune to elude
it--whether his Majesty be innocent or guilty in the matter, I leave to
God and his own conscience. He fed me when I was a-hungered--received me
when I was a wandering stranger. I will never load him in his adversity
with accusations which may indeed be unjust, since I heard them only
from the vilest mouths."

"My dear boy--my own lad!" said Crawford, taking him in his arms.--"Ye
think like a Scot, every joint of you! Like one that will forget a cause
of quarrel with a friend whose back is already at the wall, and remember
nothing of him but his kindness."

"Since my Lord Crawford has embraced my nephew," said Ludovic Lesly,
"I will embrace him also--though I would have you to know that to
understand the service of an ambushment is as necessary to a soldier as
it is to a priest to be able to read his breviary."

"Be hushed, Ludovic," said Crawford; "ye are an ass, my friend, and ken
not the blessing Heaven has sent you in this braw callant.--And now tell