the commencement, appeared well-nigh hopeless.

Lord Talbot rode up to the front of the royal pavilion.

"I was about to stop the fight, sire, when you gave the signal. Their blood
was up, and many would have been killed had the combat continued. But the
castle was fairly won, the central tower was taken and the flag pulled
down, a footing had been gained at another point of the wall, and the
assailants had forced their way through the sally-port. Further resistance
was therefore hopeless, and the castle must be adjudged as fairly and
honourably captured."

A renewed shout greeted the judge's decision. The king now ordered the
rival hosts to be mustered before him as before the battle, and when this
was done Earl Talbot conducted Walter up the broad steps in front of the
king's pavilion. Geoffrey Ward, who had, after fastening on Walter's
armour in the tent, before the sports began, taken his place among the
guards at the foot of the royal pavilion, stept forward and removed
Walter's helmet at the foot of the steps.

"Young sir," the king said, "you have borne yourself right gallantly today,
and have shown that you possess the qualities which make a great captain. I
do my nobles no wrong when I say that not one of them could have better
planned and led the assault than you have done. Am I not right, sirs?" and
he looked round. A murmur of assent rose from the knights and nobles, and
the king continued: "I thought you vain and presumptuous in undertaking the
assault of a fort held by an equal number, many of whom are well accustomed
to war, while the lads who followed you were all untrained in strife, but
you have proved that your confidence in yourself was not misplaced. The
Earl of Talbot has adjudged you victor, and none can doubt what the end of