the king impetuously extended his hand to him. "We both come of a
stormy line, Talbot. Indeed we are even more intimately associated
than you have hinted, for one of your name had the temerity to invade
Scotland itself in the interests of Edward Baliol--yes, by the Rood,
and successfully too."

"Ah, your majesty, it does not become the pride of our house to refer
to Richard Talbot, for three years later the Scots took him prisoner,
and he retired defeated from your country."

"Indeed," replied the king gaily, "if my memory serves me truly, we
valued your valiant ancestor so highly that we made the King of
England pay two thousand marks for him. We Scots are a frugal people;
we weigh many of the blessings of life against good hard coin, and by
Saint Andrew of Scotland, Talbot, I hold myself to-day no better than
the rest, for, speaking as young man to young man, I think it unworthy
of either king or peasant to take a woman to his bosom for aught save
love of her."

"In that I cordially agree with your majesty," said Talbot, with a
fervour that made the king glance at him with even more of sympathy
than he had already exhibited. A wave of emotion seemed to overwhelm
the sensitive James, and submerge for the moment all discretion; he
appeared to forget that he spoke to a stranger and one foreign to him,
yet James rarely mistook his man, and in this case his intuition was
not at fault. To lay bare the secrets of his heart to one unknown to
him shortly before, was an experiment of risk; but, as he had said, he
spoke as young man to young man, and healthy youth is rarely cynical,
no matter to what country it belongs. The heart knows nothing of
nationality, and a true man is a true man wherever he hails from.

James sprang to his feet and paced the long room in an excess of
excitement, a cloud on his brow; hands clenching and unclenching as he
walked. Equally with the lowest in his realm he felt the need of a
compassionate confidant. At last the words poured forth from him in an
ecstasy of confession.

"Talbot," he cried, "I am on a journey that shames my very manhood. I
have lived my life as others of my age, and whatever of contrition I
may feel, that rests between my Maker and myself. I am as He formed
me, and if I was made imperfect I may be to blame that I strove so
little to overcome my deficiency, but, by God, I say it here, I never
bought another nor sold myself. Now, on the contrary, I go to the loud
marketpla