nged sore to be ridden of an old woman, and made to
trot to market at her pleasure, when his own was to take every gate and
hurdle in his way? Thou art old woman thyself, an' thou so dost. My
Lord Duke is no jog-trot market-ass, I can tell thee, but as fiery a
war-charger as man may see in a summer's day. And dost think a
war-charger should be well a-paid to have an old woman of his back?"

"My Lady his mother, then, hath no fire in her?" said Norman, glancing
up at her where she stood behind the bars in her white weeds, looking
down on the two young men in the garden.

"Marry, enough to burn a city down. She did burn the King of France's
camp afore Hennebon. And whenas she was prisoner in Tickhill Castle, a
certain knight, whose name I know not, [the name of this knight is
apparently not on record], covenanted secretly with her by means of some
bribe, or such like, given to her keepers, that he would deliver her
from durance; and one night scaled he the walls, and she herself gat
down from her window, and clambered like a cat by means of the
water-spout and slight footholds in the stonework, till she came to the
bottom, and then over the walls and away. They were taken, as thou
mayest lightly guess, yet they gat them nigh clear of the liberties ere
they could again be captivated. Fire! ay, that hath she, and ever will.
Forsooth, that is the cause wherefore she harried her son. If she
would have sat still at her spinning, he'd have left her be. But, look
thou, she could not leave him be."

"Wherein did she seek to let him, wot you?"

"Good lack! not I. If thou art so troubled thereanent, thou wert best
ask my father. Maybe he wist not. I cannot say."

"It must have been sore disheartenment," said Norman, pityingly, "to win
nearly away, and then be brought back."

"Ay, marry; and then was she had up to London afore the King's Grace,
and had into straiter prison than aforetime. Ere that matter was she
treated rather as guest of the King and Queen, though in good sooth she
was prisoner; but after was she left no doubt touching that question.
Some thought she might have been released eight years agone, when the
convention was with the Lady Joan of Brittany, which after her lord was
killed at Auray, gave up all, receiving the county of Penthievre, the
city of Limoges, and a great sum of money; and so far as England
reckoned, so she might, and maybe would, had it been to my Lord Duke's
convenience. But he