“Ah, poor lad, I too have known that wish,” said John.  “Doubtless it was some grave inflammation of the hidden tissues of the body from the which you so grievously suffered.  And how came it that our uncle found you out?  He is a notable leech, as many men have found ere now.  Was it as such that he then came to thee?”

“Yes, truly; and our generous and kindly Prince sent him.  He heard through Gaston of the strait I was in, and forthwith begged our uncle to come and visit me.  John, dost thou know that Gaston and I each wear about our neck the halves of a charm our mother hung there in our infancy?  It is a ring of gold, each complete in itself, yet which may be so joined together as to form one circlet with the two halves of the medallion joined in one;” and Raymond pulled forth from within his doublet a small circlet of gold curiously chased, with a half medallion bearing certain characters inscribed upon it.

John examined it curiously, and said it was of Eastern workmanship.

“I know not how that may be.  I know not its history,” answered Raymond; “but Gaston tells me that when our uncle saw the ring about my neck he seemed greatly moved, and asked quickly how it came there.  Gaston told him it was hung there by our mother, and showed his own half, and how they fitted together.  At that our uncle seemed yet more moved; and after he had done what he could to ease my pain, he left me with Roger, and bid Gaston follow him to his own tent.  There he told him the history of that ring, and how for many generations it had been in the De Brocas family, its last owner having been the Arnald de Brocas who had quarrelled with his kindred, and had died ere the dispute had been righted.  Seeing that it was useless to hide the matter longer, Gaston told our uncle all; and he listened kindly and with sympathy to the tale.  At the first he seemed as if he would have told your father all the story likewise, and have had us owned before the world.  But either Gaston’s reluctance to proclaim ourselves before we had won our way to fortune, or else his own uncertainty as to how your father would take the news, held him silent; and he said we were perchance right and wise to keep our secret.  He added that to reveal ourselves, though it might gain us friends, would also raise up many bitter and powerful enemies.  The Sieur de Navailles in the south, who by joining the French King’s standard had already made himself a mark for Edward’s just displeasure when the time should come for revenging himself upon those treacherous subjects in Gascony, would be certain to hold in especial abhorrence any De Brocas who would be like to cast longing eyes upon the domain he had so long ruled over; whilst in England the fierce and revengeful Sanghursts would have small scruple in seeking the destruction of any persons who would rise to dispute their hold on Basildene.  The King’s time and thought were too much engrossed in great matters of the state to give him leisure