is with you. Dickon, who is next under him, can act as captain of the
archers while he is away. I have noticed that Tom is picking up the
language fast. He is always ready to do little kindnesses to the women and
children, and I have often heard him talking with them. He will soon get
to speak the language fairly. As to the others have you any choice?"

"No, I think you had better choose them for me, Eustace."

"They had better be French," he said; "it would not do for you to surround
yourself entirely by English, although of course it is natural enough that
you should have an English squire and servant. I think that you could not
do better than take Jules Varey and Albert Bongarde. They are both stout
men-at-arms, prudent fellows, and not given to the wine-cup. As a fourth I
would say Jean Picard's son; he is a stout fellow too, and I know that,
but for his father's hopes that he will one day succeed him as butler, he
would have taken service regularly as a man-at-arms. He fought stoutly
when the French gained the wall, and I marked him exchanging blows with
Sir Clugnet himself, and bearing himself as well as any man there.' You
could choose no better."

"So be it," she said. "I think, Eustace, that with four such defenders, to
say nothing of young Guy, you need not feel uneasy about us."

"I don't think that I shall feel uneasy, Margaret; but I know that I can
ill spare you. You have ever been at my side since we were married, save
when, after the birth of Agnes and Charles, you were forced to stay in
England when I came over here. I felt it a dreary time then, and shall
feel it so now; but I doubt not that all will go well with you, though it
will be a very different life to that to which you have been accustomed."