It might be that he was accustomed to live alone with his retainers, and that his manners were rude and coarse to all.  It might be that he had a special hostility to the English.  At any rate, his remarks were calculated to fire the anger of the earl.

He began the conversation by wondering how a Norman baron could live in a country like England, inhabited by a race but little above pigs.

The earl at once fired up at this, for the Normans were now beginning to feel themselves English, and to resent attacks upon a people for whom their grandfathers had entertained contempt.

He angrily repelled the attack upon them by the Brabant knight, and asserted at once that the Saxons were every bit as civilized, and in some respects superior, to the Normans or French.

The ill-feeling thus begun at starting clearly waxed stronger as dinner went on.  The Brabant knight drank deeply, and although his talk was not clearly directed against the English, yet he continued to throw out innuendoes and side attacks, and to talk with a vague boastfulness, which greatly irritated Sir Walter.

Presently, as Cuthbert was about to serve his master with a cup of wine, the tall page pushed suddenly against him, spilling a portion of the wine over his dress.

“What a clumsy child!” he said scoffingly.

“You are a rough and ill-mannered loon,” Cuthbert said angrily.  “Were you in any other presence I would chastise you as you deserve.”

The tall page burst into a mocking laugh.

“Chastise me!” he said.  “Why, I could put you in my pocket for a little hop-of-my-thumb as you are.”

“I think,” said Sir Jacquelin—­for the boys’ voices both rose loud—­to the earl, “you had better send that brat home and order him to be whipped.”

“Sir count,” said the earl, “your manners are insolent, and were we not engaged upon a Crusade, it would please me much to give you a lesson on that score.”

Higher and higher the dispute rose, until some angry word caught the ear of the king.

Amid the general buzz of voices King Phillip rose, and speaking a word to King Richard, moved from the table, thus giving the sign for the breaking up of the feast.

Immediately afterwards a page touched the earl and Sir Jacquelin upon the shoulder, and told them that the kings desired to speak with them in the tent of the King of France.

The two nobles strode through the crowd, regarding each other with eyes much like those of two dogs eager to fly at each other’s throat.

“My lords, my lords,” said King Phillip when they entered, “this is against all law and reason.  For shame, to be brawling at my table.  I would not say aught openly, but methinks it is early indeed for the knights and nobles engaged in a common work to fall to words.”

“Your Majesty,” said the Earl of Evesham, “I regret deeply what has happened.  But it seemed, from the time we sat down to the meal, that this lord sought to pass a quarrel upon me, and I now beseech your Majesty that you will permit us to settle our differences in the lists.”