the great French lords; and, seeing that we have but little power in
Artois, he has to hold himself discreetly, and to keep aloof as far as he
can from the strife there, and bide his time until the king sends an army
to win back his own again. But I doubt not that, although our lady's
wishes and the queen's favour may have gone some way with him, the king
thought more of the advantage of keeping this French noble,--whose fathers
have always been faithful vassals of the crown, and who was himself
English on his mother's side,--faithful to us, ready for the time when the
royal banner will flutter in the wind again, and blood will flow as it did
at Cressy and Poitiers.

"The example of a good knight like Sir Eustace taking the field for us
with his retainers might lead others to follow his example; besides, there
were several suitors for our lady's hand, and, by giving her to this
French baron, there would be less offence and heart-burning than if he had
chosen one among her English suitors. And, indeed, I know not that we have
suffered much from its being so; it is true that our lord and lady live
much on their estates abroad, but at least they are here part of their
time, and their castellan does not press us more heavily during their
absence than does our lord when at home."

"He is a goodly knight, is Sir Aylmer, a just man and kindly, and, being a
cousin of our lady's, they do wisely and well in placing all things in his
hands during their absence."

"Ay, we have nought to grumble at, for we might have done worse if we had
had an English lord for our master, who might have called us into the
field when he chose, and have pressed us to the utmost of his rights
whenever he needed money."