a good garrison, and where you may well hold out against all the rascaldom
of the country until your barons can raise their levies and come to your
assistance. Still, it may well be, your Majesty, that these fellows will
think better of it, and may, after all, disperse again to their homes. I
pray you, take no heed of my words, but refer the matter to those
accustomed to deal with affairs of state. The noble prince, your father,
knew that he could lay his orders on me, and that I would carry them out
to the utmost of my strength. If he said to me, "Lead a party, Sir Ralph,
to attack that bridge," I gave no thought as to whether the defences were
too strong to be carried or not; or if he entrusted the command of a post
to me, and said, "Defend it against all odds until I come to your
assistance," he knew that it would be done, but more than that I never
pretended to; and I deem not that, as I have grown older, I know more of
such matters than I did when I was in the prime of my strength.'"

"And what said his Majesty, Sir Ralph?"

"He laughed and said that I was the first he had known who was not ready
to give him advice, and that he would that all were as chary of so doing
as I was. When I told him this morning that I had sent for you and my son
and daughter, as I misliked leaving you in the centre of these troubles,
he offered apartments in the Tower, but I said that, with his permission,
I would remain lodged here, for that, seeing his lady mother was away, I
thought that you would prefer this lodging, as there is here a fair garden
where you and Aline can walk undisturbed, to the Tower, which is full of
armed men, young gallants, and others."

"It will indeed be more pleasant, Sir Ralph, for in the Tower Aline could
never venture from my side, and there would be neither peace nor
quietness."