the
latter had risen, nowise as a father, but as a poor man, to do honour
to his daughter, as to a mistress, and seeing her, felt a marvellous
pleasure at his heart. But she nor then nor after knew him any whit,
for that he was beyond measure changed from what he was used to be,
being grown old and hoar and bearded and lean and swart, and appeared
altogether another man than the count.

The lady then, seeing that the children were unwilling to leave him
and wept, when she would have them go away, bade their governor let
them be awhile and the children thus being with the good man, it
chanced that Jamy's father returned and heard from their governor what
had passed, whereupon quoth the marshal, who held Jeannette in
despite, 'Let them be, God give them ill-luck! They do but hark back
to that whence they sprang. They come by their mother of a vagabond
and therefore it is no wonder if they are fain to herd with
vagabonds.' The count heard these words and was mightily chagrined
thereat; nevertheless, he shrugged his shoulders and put up with the
affront, even as he had put up with many others. Jamy, hearing how the
children had welcomed the honest man, to wit, the count, albeit it
misliked him, nevertheless so loved them that, rather than see them
weep, he commanded that, if the good man chose to abide there in any
capacity, he should be received into his service. The count answered
that he would gladly abide there, but he knew not to do aught other
than tend horses, whereto he had been used all his lifetime. A horse
was accordingly assigned to him and when he had cared for it, he
busied himself with making sport for the children.

Whilst fortune handled the Count of Antwerp and his children on such
wise as hath been set out, it befell that the King of France, after
many truces made with the Germans, died and his son, whose wife was
she through whom the count had been banished, was crowned in his
place; and no sooner was the current truce expired than he again began
a very fierce war. To his aid the King of England, as a new-made
kinsman, despatched much people, under the commandment of Perrot his
marshal and Jamy Lamiens, son of the other marshal, and with them went
the good man, to wit, the count, who, without being recognized of any,
abode a pretty while with the army in the guise of a horseboy, and
there, like a man of mettle as he was, wrought good galore, more than
was required of him, both with counsels and with de