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BELTANE. "Who fighteth not for hire. Sir Bowman!" BOWMAN. "Yet who hireth to fight, Sir Dove-eyed Giant, for I have fought for him, ere now, within his great keep of Thrasfordham within Bourne. But, an ye seek employ, his is but a poor service, where a man shall come by harder knocks than good broad pieces." BELTANE. "And yet, 'spite thy cunning and all thy warring, thy purse goeth empty!"
So now be comforted go you to Bourne, to Sir Benedict within Thrasfordham Keep, and say you come from Beltane, Duke of Pentavalon, who swore thee, by the honour of the Duke Beltane his father, that never again shall a man hang from the great gallows of Black Ivo the usurper from this night it shall cease to be!"
And behold, I have found thee, and so is my tale ended. But now, in an hour will be day, master, and with the day will be the hue and cry after thee. Come, let us haste over into Bourne, there shall we be safe so long as Thrasfordham stands." "True," nodded Beltane and rose to his feet. "Go you to Thrasfordham, Roger, Sir Benedict shall need such lusty men as thou, meseemeth."
And the reason this now mark me, Beltane! Since her father's death Duke Ivo hath had his glutton eye on fair Mortain, whereof her counsellors did ken, yet, being old men and averse to war, would fain have had her wed with him. Now upon a day word reached me in Thrasfordham bidding me come to her and Waldron of Brand at Winisfarne.
Open in the Duke's name 'tis I, Robert, lord of Hurstmanswyke, with message to the lord Seneschal, Sir Gui, and captives from Bourne!" Then, grim-smiling in the dusk, Beltane spake: "Now greeting and fair greeting to thee, my lord, and to thy captives. Hath Thrasfordham fallen so soon?" "Thrasfordham, fool!
"From Thrasfordham-within-Bourne, lord. Ho, a mighty place, great and strong as Sir Benedict himself. And within Thrasfordham be many lusty fighting men who wait thy coming, for, master, Bourne, aye and all the Duchy, doth ring with tales of thy deeds." "Hath Sir Benedict many men?" "Aye within Thrasfordham five hundred and more." "So few, Roger?" "And mayhap as many again in Bourne.
"But Sir Benedict lieth within Thrasfordham Keep, and God is in heaven, messire." "Aye, but heaven is far, methinks, and Duke Ivo is near, and hath an arm long and merciless. Art so weary of life, Sir Smith?" "Nay," answered Beltane, "but to what end hath man life, save to spend it for the good of his fellows?" "Art mad!" sighed Sir Jocelyn, "art surely mad!
Then brought Ambrose a wallet, wherein were six gold pieces, and put it in his hand, saying: "These have I kept against this day, my Beltane. Take them to aid thee on thy journey, for the county of Bourne lieth far to the south." "Do I then journey to Bourne, my father?" "Aye, to Sir Benedict, who yet doth hold the great keep of Thrasfordham.
In Thrasfordham be seven hundred chosen men-at-arms, and within Bourne, mayhap a thousand more. It is become a haven for those that flee from tyranny and bitter wrong. As for me, I journey where I will within the Duchy, serving the poor and ministering to the broken-hearted, and everywhere is black sin and suffering and death.
Now spake to them Sir Benedict, short and soldier-like: "My lords, this is he of whom ye all have heard, Beltane hight, son of Beltane our Duke, for whom we together have held Thrasfordham so long and painfully. My lord Beltane, of all the knights and nobles of the Duke thy father's days, here do stand, sire or son, all that have withstood Black Ivo.
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