Part 41 (1/2)

'”Then Rahere must answer to the King for his man,” said I. ”Keep him by you till I send,” and I hastened down.

'The King was with De Aquila in the Grand Stand above Welansford down in the valley yonder. His Court--knights and dames--lay glittering on the edge of the glade. I made my homage, and Henry took it coldly.

'”How came your beaters to shout threats against me?” said he.

'”The tale has grown,” I answered. ”One old witless man cried out, ''Ware Red William's arrow,' when the young knights shot at our line. We had two beaters. .h.i.t.”

'”I will do justice on that man,” he answered. ”Who is his master?”

'”He is Rahere's man,” said I.

'”Rahere's?” said Henry. ”Has my fool a fool?”

'I heard the bells jingle at the back of the stand, and a red leg waved over it, then a black one. So, very slowly, Rahere the King's Jester straddled the edge of the planks, and looked down on us, rubbing his chin. Loose-knit, with cropped hair, and a sad priest's face, under his c.o.c.ks...o...b..cap, that he could twist like a strip of wet leather. His eyes were hollow-set.

'”Nay, nay, Brother,” said he. ”If I suffer you to keep your fool, you must e'en suffer me to keep mine.”

'This he delivered slowly into the King's angry face! My faith, a King's Jester must be bolder than lions!

'”Now we will judge the matter,” said Rahere. ”Let these two brave knights go hang my fool because he warned King Henry against running after Saxon deer through woods full of Saxons. 'Faith, Brother, if _thy_ Brother, Red William, now among the Saints as we hope, had been timely warned against a certain arrow in New Forest, one fool of us four would not be crowned fool of England this morning. Therefore, hang the fool's fool, knights!”

'Mark the fool's cunning! Rahere had himself given us order to hang the man. No king dare confirm a fool's command to such a great baron as De Aquila; and the helpless King knew it.

'”What? No hanging?” said Rahere, after a silence. ”A G.o.d's Gracious Name, kill something, then! Go forward with the hunt!”

'He splits his face ear to ear in a yawn like a fish-pond. ”Henry,” says he, ”the next time I sleep, do not pester me with thy fooleries.” Then he throws himself out of sight behind the back of the stand.

'I have seen courage with mirth in De Aquila and Hugh, but stark mad courage of Rahere's sort I had never even guessed at.'

'What did the King say?' cried Dan.

'He had opened his mouth to speak, when young Fulke, who had come into the stand with us, laughed, and, boy like, once begun, could not check himself. He kneeled on the instant for pardon, but fell sideways, crying: ”His legs! Oh, his long, waving red legs as he went backward!”

'Like a storm breaking, our grave King laughed,--stamped and reeled with laughter till the stand shook. So, like a storm, this strange thing pa.s.sed!

'He wiped his eyes, and signed to De Aquila to let the drive come on.

'When the deer broke, we were pleased that the King shot from the shelter of the stand, and did not ride out after the hurt beasts as Red William would have done. Most vilely his knights and barons shot!

'De Aquila kept me beside him, and I saw no more of Hugh till evening.

We two had a little hut of boughs by the camp, where I went to wash me before the great supper, and in the dusk I heard Hugh on the couch.

'”Wearied, Hugh?” said I.

'”A little,” he says. ”I have driven Saxon deer all day for a Norman King, and there is enough of Earl G.o.dwin's blood left in me to sicken at the work. Wait awhile with the torch.”

'I waited then, and I thought I heard him sob.'

'Poor Hugh! Was he so tired?' said Una. 'Hobden says beating is hard work sometimes.'

'I think this tale is getting like the woods,' said Dan, 'darker and twistier every minute.'