was too hot. But whichever it be, it matters not."

"The quarrel, sire," said Sir Jacquelin, "arose from a dispute between
our pages, who were nigh coming to blows in your Majesty's presence. I
desired the earl to chide the insolence of his varlet, and instead of so
doing he met my remarks with scorn."

"Pooh, pooh," said King Richard, "there are plenty of grounds for quarrel
without two nobles interfering in the squabbles of boys. Let them fight;
it will harm no one. By-the-bye, your Majesty," he said, turning to the
King of France with a laugh, "if the masters may not fight, there is no
reason in the world why the varlets should not. We are sorely dull for
want of amusement. Let us have a list to-morrow, and let the pages fight
it out for the honour of their masters and their nations."

"It were scarce worth while to have the lists set for two boys to fight,"
said the King of France.

"Oh, we need not have regular lists," said King Richard. "Leave that
matter in my hands. I warrant you that if the cockerels are well plucked,
they will make us sport. What say you, gentlemen?"

The Brabant noble at once assented, answering that he was sure that his
page would be glad to enter the lists; and the earl gave a similar
assent, for he had not noticed how great was the discrepancy between the
size of the future combatants.

"That is agreed, then," said King Richard joyously. "I will have a piece
of ground marked out on the edge of the camp to-morrow morning. It shall
be kept by my men-at-arms, and there shall be a raised place for King