majesty anything
at all. And by your leave, sir, we would both rather be excused from
doing our duty if it's to be a young gentleman like this, who can't
have done anything to deserve it. And so we will wish you good-day,
sir.'

The men shuffled out of the room, but Arthur's troubles were not over
yet. King John began to think that Arthur, even without his eyes, was
too dangerous a prisoner to keep on his hands; and he suggested to a
knight named William de Bray that he should stab the prince in prison.

'I am a gentleman and not an executioner,' replied William de Bray; and
he turned from the king in disdain.

Then John hired an assassin for a large sum of money, and sent him to
the castle to kill the prince.

'Upon what errand dost thou come?' asked Hubert de Burgh, as the fellow
presented himself at the castle gates.

'To despatch Prince Arthur,' said the man.

'Go back to him that sent thee,' said Hubert, 'and say that I will do
it.'

King John, knowing very well that Hubert was trying to save his
prisoner, separated Arthur from his kind gaoler, and had him imprisoned
in the strong castle of Rouen, which is washed on one side by the river
Seine.

Then he came himself in a boat by night and waited outside the castle
walls.

Arthur was awakened by his gaoler and made to follow him to a small
door by the river-side. When the door was unfastened, the gaoler threw
down his torch and trod upon it to put it out, and Arthur was only able
to distinguish two dark forms in the boat. From the voice he could
tell that one of them was his uncle.

Arthur was dragged on board the boat, imploring the king to have mercy
upon him; and what happened after that has never been told. Some say
that John stunned his nephew with a large stone, and flung his body
into the Seine; at all events, neither the prince, nor his dead body,
was ever seen again.

If John thought that his nephew's murder would make him undisputed King
of England he was much mistaken. The cruel deed aroused the greatest
indignation throughout England and France. Through it the dukedom of
Normandy was lost to the English crown, and some years later John died
a ruined man, with his subjects in open rebellion against him.

CHAPTER V

THE BLACK PRINCE

Edward III., King of England, was a very warlike prince. When the King
of France died he was succeeded by his nephew Philip, but Edward
declared that he, being a grandson of the late king, ha