their castle; and, if it please Our Lady, I will not care less for
the King's person than they do for their own. The Brandanes are the
King's immediate retainers and household servants, and an hundred
of them is but a small guard round his Grace, when yourself, my
lord, as well as the Earl of Douglas, often ride with ten times
the number."

"My Lord Duke," replied March, "when the service of the King
requires it, I can ride with ten times as many horse as your Grace
has named; but I have never done so either traitorously to entrap
the King nor boastfully to overawe other nobles."

"Brother Robert," said the King, ever anxious to be a peacemaker,
"you do wrong even to intimate a suspicion of my Lord of March. And
you, cousin of March, misconstrue my brother's caution. But hark
--to divert this angry parley--I hear no unpleasing touch of
minstrelsy. You know the gay science, my Lord of March, and love
it well. Step to yonder window, beside the holy prior, at whom we
make no question touching secular pleasures, and you will tell us
if the music and play be worth listening to. The notes are of France,
I think. My brother of Albany's judgment is not worth a cockle shell
in such matters, so you, cousin, must report your opinion whether
the poor glee maiden deserves recompense. Our son and the Douglas
will presently be here, and then, when our council is assembled,
we will treat of graver matters."

With something like a smile on his proud brow, March withdrew into
the recess of the window, and stood there in silence beside the
prior, like one who, while he obeyed the King's command, saw through
and despised the timid precaution which it implied, as an attempt