“Listen, Raymond:  the Prince is here in Bordeaux.  The faithful Gascon nobles —­ the Lord of Pommiers, the Lord of Rosen, the Lord of Mucident, and the Lord de l’Esparre —­ have sent to England to say that if the Prince will but come to lead them, they will make gallant war upon the French King.  John has long been striving to undermine England’s power in his kingdom, to rid himself of an enemy’s presence in his country, to be absolute lord over his vassals without their intermediate allegiance to another master.  It does not suffice that our great King does homage for his lands in France (though he by rights is King of France himself).  He knows that here, in these sunny lands of the south, the Roy Outremer is beloved as he has never been.  He would fain rob our King of all his lands; he is planning and plotting to do it.”

“But the Roy Outremer is not to be caught asleep,” cried Raymond, with a kindling glance, “and John of France is to learn what it is to have aroused the wrath of the royal Edward and of his brave people of England.”

“Ay, verily; and our good Gascons are as forward in Edward’s cause as his English subjects,” answered Gaston quickly.  “They love our English rule, they love our English ways; they will not tamely be transformed into a mere fief of the French crown.  They will fight for their feudal lord, and stand stanchly by his banner.  It is their express request that brings the Prince hither today.  The King is to land farther north —­ at Cherbourg methinks it was to be; whilst my Lord of Lancaster has set sail for Brittany, to defend the Countess of Montford from the Count of Blois, who has now paid his ransom and is free once more.  His Majesty of France will have enough to do to meet three such gallant foes in the field.

“And listen still farther, Raymond, for the Prince has promised this thing to me —­ that as he marches through the land, warring against the French King, he will pause before the Castle of Saut and smoke out the old fox, who has long been a traitor at heart to the English cause.  And the lands so long held by the Navailles are to be mine, Raymond —­ mine.  And a De Brocas will reign once more at Saut, as of old!  What dost thou think of that?”

“Brother, I am glad at heart.  It seemeth almost like a dream.  Thou the lord of Saut and I of Basildene!  Would that she were living yet to see the fulfilment of her dream!”

“Ay, truly I would she were.  But, Raymond, thou wilt join the Prince’s standard; thou wilt march with us to strike a blow for England’s honour and glory?  Basildene and fair Mistress Joan are safe.  No harm will come to them by thine absence.  And thou owest all to the Prince.  Surely thou wilt not leave him in the hour of peril; thou wilt march beneath his banner and take thy share of the peril and the glory?”

Gaston spoke with eager energy, looking affectionately into his brother’s face; and as he saw that look, Raymond felt that he could not refuse his brother’s request.  For just a few moments he hesitated, for the longing to see Joan once again and to clasp her in his arms was very strong within him; but his brother’s next words decided him.