Richard took his time, and also intolerable liberties with his life.  Milo lost his hair with anxiety, not daring to speak; Gaston of Bearn did dare, but was shaken off by his mad master.  Des Barres, who loved him, perhaps, as well as any, never left him for long together, and wore his brain out devising shifts which might keep him away from the walls.  But Richard, for this present whim of his, chose out a companion devil as heedless as himself, Mercadet namely, his brown Gascon captain, of like proportions, like mettle, like foolhardiness; and with him made the daily round, never omitting an exchange of grim banter with Saint-Pol.  It was terrible to see him, without helm on his head, or reason in it, canter within range of the bow.

‘Oh, Saint-Pol,’ he said one day, ’if thou wert worth my pains, I would have thee down and serve thee as I did thy brother Eudo.  But no; thou must be hanged, it seems.’  And Saint-Pol, grinning cheerfully, answered, ‘Have no fear, King, thou wilt never hang me.’

‘By my soul,’ said Richard back again, ’a little more of this bold gut of thine, my man, and I let thee go free.’

‘Sire,’ said Saint-Pol soberly, ‘that were the worst of all.’

‘How so, boy?’

’Because, if you forgave me, I should be required by my knighthood to forgive you; and that I will never do if I can help it.  So I should live and be damned.’

‘Have it then as it must be,’ said Richard laughing, and turned his back.  Saint-Pol could have shot him dead, but would not.  ’Look, De Gurdun,’ he says, ’there goes the King unmailed.  Wilt thou shoot him in the back, and so end all?’

‘By God, Eustace,’ says Gilles, ‘that I will not.’

‘Why not, then?’

Gurdun said, ’Because I dare not.  I am more afraid of him when he scorns me thus than when his face is upon me.  Let him lead an assault upon the walls, and I will split his headpiece if I may; but I will never again try him unarmed.’

‘Pouf!’ said Saint-Pol; but he was of the same mind.

* * * * *

Then came a day when Des Barres was out upon the neighbouring hills with a company of knights, scouting.  There had been rumours of hostile movement from the South, from Provence and Roussillon; of a juncture of Prince John, known to be in Gascony, with the Queen’s brother of Navarre.  Nothing was known certainly, but Richard judged that John might be tempted out.  It was a bright cold day, cloudless, with a most bitter north-east wind singing in the bents.  Des Barres, sitting his horse on the hill, blew upon his ungauntleted hand, then flacked it against his side to drive the blood back.  Surveying the field with a hunter’s eye, he saw King Richard ride out of the lines on his chestnut horse, Mercadet with him, and (in a green cloak) Gaston of Bearn.  Richard had a red surcoat and a blown red plume in his cap.  He carried no shield, and by the ease with which he turned his body to look behind him, one hand on the crupper, Des Barres was sure that he was not in mail.