"Thou manage?" said William Lorimer, teasingly. "Bethink thee, thou art
but servant to Hugo. Hast thou not promised Lady De Aldithely to be his
servant?"

Humphrey hesitated a moment and then replied: "Yea, in a measure. But I
take it that there are servants and servants. Besides, I did dream of
acorns of late and of eating one of them, which doth foretell that I
shall gradually rise to riches and honor; and surely the first step in
such a rise is the managing of Hugo. My dream hath it, thou seest, that
Hugo shall obey me. Wherefore I said I shall know how to manage when I
see the king's men."

"Hath Hugo heard of this fine dream?" inquired William Lorimer with
pretended gravity.

"Not he. Why should he hear of it? He is as headstrong as our young
lord Josceline, though not so haughty. I shall but oppose the weight
of my years and experience against him at every turn, and thou shalt
see I shall prevail." So saying, Humphrey, with an air of great
self-satisfaction, turned and descended the wall to the court-yard.

For a moment William Lorimer smiled. "I would I might follow the two,"
he said. "There will be fine arguments between them."




CHAPTER IV