What was his intention I know not, but in times
like these it is necessary sometimes to reward faithful followers or to
secure doubtful ones, and it may be that he would have been glad to have
had the opportunity of finding so fair a castle and estate at his
disposal. You know the fable of the wolf and the lamb; a poor excuse is
deemed sufficient at all times in France when there is a great noble on
one side and a simple knight on the other, and I reckon that the duke did
not calculate upon the willingness of your Sir Eustace to permit his wife
and children to come here, or upon the dame's willingness to do so, and in
no way expected matters to turn out as they have done, for there is now no
shadow of excuse for him to meddle with Villeroy. Indeed, I question
whether the condition about hostages was of his devising; but it may well
be that the king or the queen wished it inserted, and he, thinking that
there was no chance of that alternative being accepted, yielded to the
wish. Mind, all this is not spoken from my own knowledge, but I did hear
that Duke John was much put out when he found that the hostages were
coming, and there was some laughter among us at the duke being for once
outwitted."
"Then you do not love him overmuch, Count?"
"He is our lord, Guy, and we are bound to fight in his cause, but our vows
of fealty do not include the word love. The duke his father was a noble
prince, just and honourable, and he was loved as well as honoured.
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