hard grew bleak in a moment. 'That,' he said, 'is why I shall kill
him. He seeks to drive us to marriage. Injurious beast! His name is
Pandarus.' Then he left the Dauphin and shut himself up until the day of
battle.
They had formed lists in the Loire meads: a red pavilion with leopards
upon it for the Count of Poictou, a blue pavilion streaked with
basilisks in silver for the Count of Saint-Pol. The crowd was very
great, for the city was full of people; in the tribune the King of
England's throne was left empty save for a drawn sword; but one sat
beside it as arbiter for the day of life and death, and that was Prince
John, Richard's brother, by Richard summoned from Paris, and most
unwillingly there. Bishop Hugh of Durham sat next him, and marvelled to
see the sweat glisten on his forehead on a day when all the world else
felt the north wind to their bones. 'Are you suffering, dear lord?' 'Eh,
Bishop Hugh, Bishop Hugh, this is a mad day for me!' 'By God,' thought
Hugh of Durham, 'and so it might prove, my man!'
They blew trumpets; and at the second sounding Saint-Pol, the
challenger, rode out on a big grey horse, himself in a hauberk of chain
mail with a coif of the same, and a casque wherein three grey heron's
feathers. This was the badge of the house: Jehane wore heron's feathers.
He had a blue surcoat and blue housings for his horse. Behind him,
esquire of honour, rode the young Amadeus of Savoy, carrying his banner,
a white basilisk on a blue field. Saint-Pol was a burly man, bearing his
honours squarely on breast and back.
They sounded for the Count of Poictou, who came presently out of his
tent and lightly swung himself into the saddle--a feat open to very few
men armed in mail. As he came cantering down the long lists no man could
fail to mark the size and splendid ease he had; but some said, 'He is
younger by five years than Saint-Pol, and not so stout a man.' He had a
red plume above his leopard crest, a white surcoat over his hauberk,
with three red leopards upon it. His shield was of the same blazon, so
also the housings of his horse. The Dauphin of Auvergne carried his
banner. The two men came together, saluted with ceremony, then turned
with spears uplift to the tribune, the throned sword, the sweating
prince beside it.
This one now rose up and caught at his chair, to give the signal. 'Oh,
Richard of Anjou, do thou on the body of Saint-Pol what thy faith
requires of thee; and do thou, Eudo, uphold t
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