by the followers of Sir Eustace was a brawl between John Ingram and
a yeoman of Clarenham's, ending in their spending a week in the
custody of the Provost Marshal.

Had there been any tournament or like sport at Bordeaux, Eustace
could have asserted his place, and challenged the attention of
the court; but the state of the Prince's health prevented such
spectacles; nor had he any opportunity of acquiring honour by his
deeds in arms. No army took the field on either side, and the war
was chiefly carried on by expeditions for the siege or relief of
frontier castles; and here his unusual rank as Knight Banneret
stood in his way, since it was contrary to etiquette for him to put
himself under the command of a Knight Bachelor. He was condemned
therefore to a weary life of inaction, the more galling, because
his poverty made it necessary to seek maintenance as formerly at
the Prince's table, where he was daily reminded, by the altered
demeanour of his acquaintance, of the unjust suspicions beneath
which he laboured. He had hoped that a dismissal from his post
in the Prince's band would give him the much-desired opportunity
of claiming a hearing, but he was permitted to receive his pay and
allowance as usual, and seemed completely overlooked. It was
well that Gaston's gay temper could not easily be saddened by
their circumstances, and his high spirits and constant attachment
often cheered his Knight in their lonely evenings. Eustace had
more than once striven to persuade him to forsake his failing
fortunes; but to this the faithful Squire would never consent,
vowing that he was as deeply implicated in all their accusations
as Sir Eustace himself; and who would wish to engage a fellow-
servant of the black cats! There were two others whom Eustace
would fain believe still confided in his truth and honour, his