The discontented countenance of the king, who was wont to be the life
of any party of which he was a member, lowered the spirits of his
Scottish followers to the level of those saddened by military defeat
and the horsemen made their way through the quagmires of Northern
France more like a slow funeral procession than wedding guests.

At the castle where they halted at the end of the first day's
journey, the King speedily retired to the apartment assigned to him
without a word of cheer even to the most intimate of his comrades.

The travellers had accomplished only about twelve leagues from the
sea-coast on their first day's journey, and darkness had set in before
the horsemen clattered through the narrow streets of a little town and
came to the frowning gates of a great castle, whose huge tower in the
glare of numerous torches loomed out white against the wintry sky. The
chief room of the suite reserved for the king was the only cheerful
object his majesty had seen that day. A roaring bonfire of bulky logs
shed a flickering radiance on the tapestry that hung along the wall,
almost giving animation to the knights pictured thereon, sternly
battling against foes in anger, or merrily joisting with friends for
pleasure at some forgotten tournament.

The king, probably actuated by the military instincts of his race
urging him to get his bearings, even though he was in the care of a
friendly country, strode to one of the windows and looked out. Dark
as was the night and cloudy the sky, the landscape was nevertheless
etched into tolerable distinctness by the snow that had fallen, and
he saw far beneath him the depths of a profound valley, and what
appeared to be a town much lower than the one through which he had
just ridden. The stronghold appeared to stand on a platform of rock
which was at least impregnable from this side. James turned from
the wintry scene outside to the more alluring prospect within the
apartment. A stout oaken table in the centre of the room was weighted
with a sumptuous repast; and the king, with the stalwart appetite
of youth and health augmented by a tiresome journey in keen air,
forthwith fell to, and did ample justice to the providing of his
unknown host. The choicest vintages of France did something to dispel
that depression which had settled down upon him, and the outside glow
of the great fire supplemented the inward ardour of good wine.

The king drew up his cushioned chair to the blaze, and