n, and at once!"

But Aylward was at the woman's side. "Come with us, fair dame," said he.
"Surely we can, at least, take you from this island, and no such change
can be for the worse."

"Nay," said she, "the saints in Heaven cannot help me now until they
take me to my rest. There is no place for me in the world beyond, and
all my friends were slain on the day I was taken. Leave me, brave men,
and let me care for myself. Already it lightens in the east, and black
will be your fate if you are taken. Go, and may the blessing of one who
was once a holy nun go with you and guard you from danger!"

Sir Robert Knolles was pacing the deck in the early morning, when he
heard the sound of oars, and there were his two night-birds climbing up
the side.

"So, fellow," said he, "have you had speech with the King of Sark?"

"Fair sir, I have seen him."

"And he has paid his forfeit?"

"He has paid it, sir!"

Knolles looked with curiosity at the bag which Simon bore. "What carry
you there?" he asked.

"The stake that he has lost."

"What was it then? A goblet? A silver plate?"

For answer Simon opened his bag and shook it on the deck.

Sir Robert turned away with a whistle. "'Fore God!" said he, "it is in
my mind that I carry some hard men with me to Brittany."

XIX. HOW A SQUIRE OF ENGLAND MET A SQUIRE OF FRANCE

Sir Robert Knolles with his little fleet had sighted the Breton coast
near Cancale; they had rounded the Point du Grouin, and finally had
sailed past the port of St. Malo and down the long narrow estuary of the
Rance until they were close to the old walled city of Dinan, which was
held by that Montfort faction whose cause the English had espoused. Here
the horses had been disembarked, the stores were unloaded, and the whole
force encamped outside the city, whilst the leaders waited for news as
to the present state of affairs, and where there was most hope of honor
and profit.

The whole of France was feeling the effects of that war with England
which had already lasted some ten years, but no Province was in so
dreadful a condition as this unhappy land of Brittany. In Normandy or
Picardy the inroads of the English were periodical with intervals of
rest between; but Brittany was torn asunder by constant civil war apart
from the grapple of the two great combatants, so that there was no
surcease of her sufferings. The struggle had begun in 1341 through the
rival claims of Montfort and of Blois to the v