“Yea, in very truth that is so; for, as perchance thou hast heard, a vessel was sighted leaving Calais harbour but a few short days ago, and being hotly pursued, was seen to drop a packet overboard.  That packet at ebb tide was found tied to an anchor, and being brought to the King and by him opened, was found to contain those very words addressed to the King of France by the governor of the city, praying him to come speedily to the rescue of his fortress if he wished to save it from the enemy’s hand.  Our bold King having first read it, sent it on posthaste to his brother of France, crying shame upon him to leave his gallant subjects thus to perish with hunger.  Methinks that message will shame yon laggard monarch into action.  How he has been content to idle away the year, with the foe besieging the key of his kingdom, I know not.  But it is a warm welcome he shall get if he comes to the relief of Calais.  We are as ready to receive him here as we were a year ago on the field of Crecy!”

“Ay, in fair fight with Philip’s army would I gladly adventure my life again!” cried Raymond, with kindling eyes; “but there be fighting I have small relish for, my Gaston, and I have heard stories of this very siege which have wrung my heart to listen to.  Was it true, brother, that hundreds of miserable creatures, more than half of them women and little children, were expelled from the city as ‘useless mouths,’ and left to starve to death between the city walls and the camp of the English, in which plenty has all the winter reigned?  Could that be true of our gallant King and his brave English soldiers?”

A quick flush dyed Gaston’s cheek, but he strove to laugh.

“Raymond, look not at me with eyes so full of reproach.  War is a cruel game, and in some of its details I like it little better than thou.  But what can we soldiers do?  Nay, what can even the King do?  Listen, and condemn him not too hastily.  Long months ago, soon after thou hadst left us, the same thing was done.  Seventeen hundred persons —­ men, women, and children —­ were turned out of the town, and the King heard of it and ordered some of them to be brought before him.  In answer to his question they told him that they were driven from the city because they could not fight, and were only consuming the bread, of which there was none to spare for useless mouths.  They had no place to go to, no food to eat, no hope for the future.  Then what does our King do but give them leave to pass through his camp; and not only so, but he orders his soldiers to feed them well, and start them refreshed on their way; and before they went forth, to each of them was given, by the royal order, two sterlings of silver, so that they went forth joyously, blessing the liberality and kindness of the English and England’s King.  But thou must see he could not go on doing these kindly acts if men so took advantage of them.  He is the soul of bravery and chivalry, but there must be reasonable limits to all such royal generosity.”