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302 how to answer it fitly in the presence of the lady, Alleyne stood with his hand upon the handle of the door, while Sir Nigel and his companions dismounted. At the sound of these fresh voices, and of the tongue in which they spoke, the stranger crashed his dish of nuts down upon the floor, and began himself to call for the landlord until the whole house re-echoed with his roarings. With an ashen face the white-aproned host came running at his call, his hands shaking and his very hair bristling with apprehension. 'For the sake of God, sirs,' he whispered as he passed, 'speak him fair and do not rouse him! For the love of the Virgin, be mild with him!'

'Who is this, then?' asked Sir Nigel.

Alleyne was about to explain, when a fresh roar from the stranger interrupted him.

'Thou villain innkeeper,' he shouted, 'did I not ask you when I brought my lady here whether your inn was clean?'

'You did, sire.'

'Did I not very particularly ask you whether there were any vermin in it?'

'You did, sire.'

'And you answered me?'

'That there were not, sire.'

'And yet ere I have been here an hour I find Englishmen crawling about within it. Where are we to be free from this pestilent race? Can a Frenchman upon French land not sit down in a French auberge without having his ears pained by the clack of their hideous talk. Send them packing, innkeeper, or it may be the worse for them and for you.'

'I will, sire, I will!' cried the frightened host, and bustled from the room, while the soft, soothing voice of the woman was heard remonstrating with her furious companion.

'Indeed, gentlemen, you had best go,' said mine host. 'It is but six miles to Villefranche, where there are very good quarters at the sign of the "Lion Rouge."'

'Nay,' answered Sir Nigel, 'I cannot go until I have seen more of this person, for he appears to be a man from