nd ways of his brother the Count, held his peace for a
little while. Then the Count, willing to show his heart, and weary of
his long sadness, spoke again, and louder than before, saying:

'"By God, Sir Ernault, it is as I tell you, and shortly we shall have
news; for never did the land of Bearn lose so much in one day--no, not
these hundred years--as it has lost this time in Portugal."

'Many knights and squires standing round who heard the Count noted these
words, and in ten days learned the truth from them who had been in the
fight, and who brought tidings, first to the Court, and afterwards to
all who would hear them, of what befell at Juberot. Thereby was the
Count's grief renewed, and that of all in the country who had lost
brothers and fathers, sons and friends, in the fray.'

'Marry!' said I to the Squire, who was telling me his tale, 'and how
could the Count know or guess what befell? Gladly would I learn this.'

'By my faith,' said the Squire, 'he knew it well, as appeared.'

'Is he a prophet, or has he messengers who ride at night with the wind?
Some art he must have.'

Then the Squire began to laugh.

'Truly he must learn by some way of necromancy; we know not here truly
how he does it, save by phantasies.'

'Ah, good sir, of these fancies prithee tell me, and I will be grateful.
If it is a matter to keep silent, silent will I keep it, and never,
while I am in this country, will I open my mouth thereon.'

'I pray you do not, for I would not that any should know I had spoken.
Yet others talk of it quietly when they are among their friends.'

Thereon he drew me apart into a corner of the castle chapel, and then
began his tale, and spoke thus:

'It may be twenty years since there reigned here a baron named Raymond,
lord of Corasse, a town and castle seven leagues from Orthez. Now, the
lord of Corasse, at the time of which I speak, held a plea at Avignon
before the Pope against a clerk of Catalonia who laid claim to the
tithes of his town, the said clerk belonging to a powerful order, and
claiming the right of the tithes of Corasse, which, indeed, amounted to
a yearly sum of one hundred florins. This right he set forth and proved
before all men, for in his judgment, given in the Consistory General,
Pope Urban V. declared that the clerk had won his case, and that the
Chevalier had no ground for his claim. The sentence once delivered,
letters were given to the clerk enabling him to take possession, and