be all unmeet for battle; some of us have never been
warriors, and other some are past the age for leading an
host. To say the sooth, King, there is but one man in
Meadham who may do what thou wilt, and not fail; both for
his wisdom, and his might afield, and the account which is
had of him amongst the people; and that man is Earl
Geoffrey, of the Southern Marches."

"Ye say sooth," quoth the King; "but is he down in the
South, or nigher to hand?"

Said the elder: "He is as now in Meadhamstead, and may be
in this chamber in scant half an hour." So the King bade
send for him, and there was silence in the chamber till he
came in, clad in a scarlet kirtle and a white cloak, and
with his sword by his side. He was a tall man, bigly made;
somewhat pale of face, black and curly of hair; blue-eyed,
thin-lipped, and hook-nosed as an eagle; a man warrior-like,
and somewhat fierce of aspect. He knelt down by the King's
bedside, and asked him in a sorrowful voice what he would,
and the King said: "I ask a great matter of thee, and all
these my wise men, and I myself, withal, deem that thou
canst do it, and thou alone--nay, hearken: I am departing,
and I would have thee hold my place, and do unto my people
even what I would do if I myself were living; and to my
daughter as nigh to that as may be. I say all this thou
mayst do, if thou wilt be as trusty and leal to me after I
am dead, as thou hast seemed to all men's eyes to have been
while I was living. What sayest thou?"