ly, "by no
one entering the dungeon at all. The river may be slow of rising, though
in sooth the sky looks overcast now, and it is already at its usual
winter level; and whether he dies from lack of water or from a too
abundant supply matters but little to me; only, as I told you I will
give no orders for him to be killed. Dost remember that Jew we carried
off from Seville and kept without water until he agreed to pay us a
ransom which made us both rich for six months? That was a rare haul, and
I would that rich Jews were plentiful in this country.

"Yes, those were good times," the other said, "although I own that I
have not done badly since the war began, having taken a count and three
knights prisoners, and put them to ransom, and having reaped a goodly
share of plunder from your French burghers, else indeed I could not have
offered you so round a sum to settle this little matter for me. There
are not many French knights who have earned a count's ransom in the
present war. And now I will take horse; here is one-half of the sum I
promised you, in gold nobles. I will send you the remainder on the day
when I get news from you that the matter is finished."

"Have your money ready in a week's time," the knight replied, taking the
bag of gold which the other placed on the table, "for by that time you
will hear from me. I hope this will not be the last business which we
may do together; there ought to be plenty of good chances in a war like
this. Any time that you can send me word of an intended foray by a small
party under a commander whose ransom would be a high one I will share
what I get with you; and similarly I will let you know of any rich prize
who may be pounced upon on the same terms.

"Agreed!" the other said. "We may do a good business together in that
way. But you lie too far away. If you move up as near as you can to
Calais and let me know your whereabouts, so that I could send or ride to
you in a few hours, we might work together with no small profit."

"I will take the field as soon as this affair of yours is settled," the
knight replied; "and the messenger who brings you the news shall tell
you where I may be found. And now, while your horse is being got ready,
let us drink a stoup of wine together in memory of old times, though,
for myself, these wines of ours are poor and insipid beside the fiery
juice of Spain."

While this conversation, upon which their fate so much depended, had
been going on, Wal