The eager face had clouded. For the instant he had forgotten that
a suit of armor was as much beyond his means as a service of gold
plate. Down in a twinkling came all his high hopes to the ground.
Oh, these sordid material things, which come between our dreams
and their fulfilment! The Squire of such a knight must dress with
the best. Yet all the fee simple of Tilford would scarce suffice
for one suit of plate.

Chandos, with his quick wit and knowledge of the world, had
guessed the cause of this sudden change. "If you fight under my
banner it is for me to find the weapons," said he. "Nay, I will
not be denied."

But Nigel shook his head sadly. "It may not be. The Lady
Ermyntrude would sell this old house and every acre round it, ere
she would permit me to accept this gracious bounty which you
offer. Yet I do not despair, for only last week I won for myself
a noble war-horse for which I paid not a penny, so perchance a
suit of armor may also come my way."

"And how won you the horse?"

"It was given me by the monks of Waverley."

"This is wonderful. Pardieu! I should have expected, from what I
had seen, that they would have given you little save their
malediction."

"They had no use for the horse, and they gave it to me."