banner flying free, and steel
caps twinkling from the battlement. A row of booths extended from the
castle gate to the high street, and two doors from the Church of the
Trinity was that of Thorold the goldsmith, a rich burgess and Mayor of
the town.

He looked long and lovingly at the rich rubies and at the fine work
upon the goblet. Then he stroked his flowing gray beard as he pondered
whether he should offer fifty nobles or sixty, for he knew well that he
could sell them again for two hundred. If he offered too much his profit
would be reduced. If he offered too little the youth might go as far as
London with them, for they were rare and of great worth. The young man
was ill-clad, and his eyes were anxious. Perchance he was hard pressed
and was ignorant of the value of what he bore. He would sound him.

"These things are old and out of fashion, fair sir," said he. "Of the
stones I can scarce say if they are of good quality or not, but they are
dull and rough. Yet, if your price be low I may add them to my stock,
though indeed this booth was made to sell and not to buy. What do you
ask?"

Nigel bent his brows in perplexity. Here was a game in which neither
his bold heart nor his active limbs could help him. It was the new
force mastering the old: the man of commerce conquering the man of
war--wearing him down and weakening him through the centuries until he
had him as his bond-servant and his thrall.

"I know not what to ask, good sir," said Nigel. "It is not for me, nor
for any man who bears my name, to chaffer and to haggle. You know
the worth of these things, for it is your trade to do so. The Lady
Ermyntrude lacks money, and we must have it against the King's coming,
so give me that which is right and just, and we will say no more."

The goldsmith smiled. The business was growing more simple and more
profitable. He had intended to offer fifty, but surely it would be
sinful waste to give more than twenty-five.

"I shall scarce know what to do with them when I have them," said he.
"Yet I should not grudge twenty nobles if it is a matter in which the
King is concerned."

Nigel's heart turned to lead. This sum would not buy one-half what
was needful. It was clear that the Lady Ermyntrude had overvalued her
treasures. Yet he could not return empty-handed, so if twenty nobles
was the real worth, as this good old man assured him, then he must be
thankful and take it.

"I am concerned by what you say," said he.