D'Estournel's
arrival was greeted with a shout, and several of those disengaged at once
came over to him.
"Laggard!" one exclaimed, "what excuse have you to make for coming so
late? I noted not that De Jouvaux's wine had mounted into your head last
night, and surely the duke cannot have had need of your valuable services
this morning?"
"Neither one nor the other befell, D'Estelle. But first let me introduce
to you all my friend Guy Aylmer, an English gentleman, the son of a knight
of that country, and himself an esquire of Sir Eustace de Villeroy. I am
sure you will welcome him when I tell you that he saved my life last night
when attacked by a band of cut-throats. Guy, these are my friends Count
Pierre d'Estelle, Count Walter de Vesoul, the Sieur John de Perron, and
the Knights Louis de Lactre, Sir Reginald Poupart, Sir James Regnier, Sir
Thomas d'Autre, and Sir Philip de Noisies."
"I can assure you of our friendship," the first-named of these gentlemen
said cordially to Guy, "for indeed you have rendered us all a service in
thus saving to us our friend D'Estournel. Tell us how the matter occurred,
Charles; in sooth, we shall have to take these ruffians of Paris in hand.
So long as they cut each other's throats no great harm is done, but if
they take to cutting ours it is time to give them a lesson."
"The matter was simple enough," D'Estournel said. "As you know, it was
late before we broke up at De Jouvaux's last night, for I heard it strike
half-past ten by the bell of St.
Pages:
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169