Page:A C Doyle - The White Company.djvu/73

Rh my hilt! camarades, there is no drop of French blood in my body, and I am a true English bowman, Samkin Aylward by name, once of Crooksbury; and I tell you, mes amis, that it warms my very heartroots to set my feet on the dear old land once more. When I came off the galley at Hythe, this very day, I down on my bones, and I kissed the good brown earth, as I kiss thee now, ma belle, for it was eight long years since I had seen it. The very smell of it seemed life to me. But where are my six rascals? Holà, there! En avant!'

At the order, six men, dressed as common drudges, marched solemnly into the room, each bearing a huge bundle upon his head. They formed in military line, while the soldier stood in front of them with stern eyes, checking off their several packages.

'Number one—a French feather-bed with the two counterpanes of white sendal,' said he.

'Here, worthy sir,' answered the first of the bearers, laying a great package down in the corner.

'Number two—seven ells of red Turkey cloth and nine ells of cloth of gold. Put it down by the other. Good dame, I prythee give each of these men a bottrine of wine or a jack of ale. Three—a full piece of white Genoan velvet with twelve ellssend of purple silk. Thou rascal, there is dirt on the hem! Thou hast brushed it against some wall, coquin!' 'Not I, most worthy sir,' cried the carrier, shrinking away from the fierce eyes of the bowman.

'I say yes, dog! By the three kings! I have seen a man gasp out his last breath for less. Had you gone through the pain and unease that I have done to earn these things you would be at more care. I swear by my ten finger-bones that there is not one of them that hath not cost its weight in French blood! Four—an incense-boat, an ewer of silver, a gold buckle and a cope worked in pearls. I found them, camarades, at the Church of St. Denis in the harrying of Narbonne, and I took them away with me lest they fall into the hands of the wicked. Five—a cloak of fur turned up with minever, a gold goblet with stand and cover, and a box