Here to his surprise he found the Count of Montepone,
who had arrived, by way of Calais and Dover, a few days previously. He was
suffering from a severe wound, and when Guy entered rose feebly from a
chair by the fire, for it was now October and the weather was cold. His
daughter was sitting beside him, and Lady Margaret was also in the room.
Lord Eustace and Sir John Aylmer had met Guy as he dismounted below.
"So you have gone through another adventure and come out safely," the
count said after Guy had greeted him. "Truly you have changed greatly
since you left Paris, well-nigh three years ago. It was well that Maitre
Leroux had the armour made big for you, for I see that it is now none too
large. I too, you see, have been at war; but it was one in which there was
small honour, though, as you see, with some risk, for it was a private
duel forced upon me by one of the Armagnac knights. Up to that time my
predictions had wrought me much profit and no harm. I had told Aquitaine
and other lords who consulted me that disaster would happen when the
French army met the English. That much I read in the stars. And though,
when Henry marched north from Harfleur with so small a following, it
seemed to me that victory could scarce attend him against the host of
France, I went over my calculations many times and could not find that I
had made an error. It was owing greatly to my predictions that the duke
readily gave way when the great lords persuaded him not to risk his life
in the battle.
Pages:
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422