League
But when the aforesaid Michaelmas market was, great recourse was there
of far-travelled and wise men, and the Carline set herself diligently
to learn all she might of such-like folk. And she had wherewithal to
buy wares of likely chapmen, and to treat men-at-arms and others to
wine and banquet. For she had brought away with her a marvellous
collar of gems, which the Maiden owned, and which, as she said, was
the gift of the Dwarfs; and the Maiden consenting thereto, the Carline
had sold three gems from the said collar, so that they lacked not
money.
Now as to the tidings the Carline heard of, they had for the most part
to do with the deeds and uprising of Sir Godrick of Longshaw, and how
that the Barons of the lands that lay about would not endure his ways
and his pride, and were levying war against him; and they said they
knew for certain that, when spring came next year, they would be on
him, and that they had made a League into which they looked to draw
the King of the City of the Sundering Flood, and that meanwhile the
League was already most mightily manned, and so far-reaching that it
was a sure thing that the Lord of Brookside had come into it, yea and
even others further west and north than he. Now all were in one tale
about this; but one man there was with whom the Carline spoke, and he
neither the youngest nor least wise, who said: "And yet, dame, I look
for it that the Knight of Longshaw will yet give this league a
troublous hank to unwind, so wise a man as he is, and so well
accompanies by wise and lucky men; and now hath he gotten a new
captain, a young man from far away up-country; and though there has
since his coming been no great war afoot, yet hath this newcomer been
one of certain adventures, wherein he hath proved himself. And by all
I could see and hear, for I was dwelling seven days at Longshaw, he
will be the right hand of Sir Godrick, and that means that the Knight
deems of him as no mere man-at-arms, but a wise man also. Moreover, I
myself have seen the young man, and this I seem to see in him, that he
has the lucky look in his eyes; and I am deemed cunning in the judging
of men." All this and more did the Carline hear tell of, and she
weighed it heedfully, and thought that a change of days was coming.
A month after this, and ere the winter had set in, came riding to
Brookside a knight and two squires, and had a special message to the
Blue Knight, who received them with all honour and kindness and heard
what they had to say, and prayed them to abide with him a while, since
they had ridden far from the south and the east; but they would not
tarry but one night, for they had further to go. When they were
departed Sir Mark made no secret of their message, which was that the
hosting of the Barons' League would be in such place, east of the
water and far to the south, a month before Marymass of next year; and
they prayed him to be leal and true to the League, and gather to him
what force he might, as well armed and formed in all ways as could be
done. But he answered that he was all ready thereto, and should do his
devoir to the uttermost of his power.
When the Maiden heard this she was troubled, and asked him what he
deemed of the chances of the war, and he said: "Lady, this is what we
were talking of with the Lord of Warding Knowe that other day; and I
must tell thee, though I shall go to the hosting merrily and expend me
there to the utmost, yet I deem that they be the luckiest who may keep
them out of this strife, as I may not." "Yet," said she, "be they not
mighty men, these Barons? and all men say that their League is well
knit together; so that at the worst, they overwhelm not the Knight of
Longshaw, they may hold them well against him."
"Lady," said he, "by my deeming, if we crush not this valiant man
utterly he will scatter us; he is not such a man as, if he have any
force left, may be held aloof, as a man will hold a fierce sheep-dog
with a staff till the shepherd come. To end it, since I am saying this
to none but thee, I see myself so bestead that I shall deem me a lucky
man if I bring back a whole skin from this war."
"It will be evil days for all of us," said she, "if thou come not back
hale and sound."
"It gladdens my heart that thou shouldst say so," quoth he; "and yet I
would have thee look to it, that if we overthrow this wise man and
good knight, and I say again that must be utterly or not at all, there
will be more moan made over him than over a dozen such as I; and that
is no otherwise than it should be." Said she: "I would thou wert with
him and not against him." The Knight said kindly: "Dear maiden, thou
must not say such words to me, for thou knowest that my part is chosen
by my own will."
She said nought, but nodded and looked at him as one who understood
and thought well of him; and he began again: "So it is that yonder
knight-messenger told me, amidst of his talk, that he had been but the
other day to Longshaw under safe-conduct, and that there it was told
him by one of the loose-tongued and grudging kind, as I deem, that Sir
Godrick of Longshaw had gotten to him these latter days a new captain,
a man very young, and as it were a David to look on in the days before
he slew the Philistine. Furthermore, said this grudger, that though
the said youth was a tall lad of his inches, and strong and well-knit,
he was all untried, and yet was he shoving aside older and well-proven
men in the favour of the Knight of Longshaw. In short, the said
grudger went on with his tale as though there were some big grievance
against his master brewing in Longshaw, and our knight deemed that so
it was, and that they would hold together the looser, and that thereby
we should have the cheaper bargain of them. All of which I trow
nowise, but deem, on the contrary, that I see in this glorious young
man even the one sent from heaven for the helping of our enemy, of
whom I dreaded that he would come ere long time was worn. But now let
all things be as they will that be not under my hand."
The Maiden still kept silence, but she flushed very red and her eyes
glittered; for her heart was smitten by this tale of the young
champion, and the thought sprang up suddenly, Who then can this be
save mine own beloved? But the talk between them fell.