’Ha!  Thou wouldst to the wars!  I like thee for that, boy.  Truly the king wanteth soldiers, and that more than ever.  Thou art a good cupbearer, but I will do my best to savour my claret without thee.  Thou shalt to the king, and what poor thing my word may do for thee shall not be wanting.’

Scudamore had expected opposition, and was a little nonplussed.  He had judged himself essential to his master’s comfort, and had even hoped he might set Dorothy to use her influence towards reconciling him to remain at home.  But although self-indulgent and lazy, Scudamore was constitutionally no coward, and had never had any experience to give him pause:  he did not know what an ugly thing a battle is after it is over, and the mind has leisure to attend to the smarting of the wounds.

‘I thank your lordship with all my heart,’ he said, putting on an air of greater satisfaction than he felt, ’and with your lordship’s leave would prefer a further request.’

’Say on, Rowland.  I owe thee something for long and faithful service.  An’ I can, I will.’

’Give me the roundhead’s mare that I may the better find her master.’

For Lady was still within the walls.  The marquis could not restore her, but neither could he bring himself to use her, cherishing the hope of being one day free to give her back to a reconciled subject.  But alas! there were very few horses now in Raglan stalls.

‘No, Rowland,’ he said, ’thou art the last who ought to get any good of her.  It were neither law nor justice to hand the stolen goods to the thief.’

He sat silent, and Rowland, not very eager, stood before him in silence also, meaning it to be read as indicating that to the wars except on that mare’s back he would not ride.  But the thought of the marquis had now taken another turn.

’Thou shalt have her, my boy.  Thou shalt not rust at home for the sake of a gouty old man and his claret.  But ere thou go, I will write out certain maxims for thy following both in the field and in quarters.  Ere thou ride, look well to thy girths, and as thou ridest say thy prayers, for it pleaseth not God that every man on the right side should live, and thou mayst find the presence in which thou standest change suddenly from that of mortal man to that of living God.  I say nothing of orthodoxy, for truly I am not one to think that because a man hath been born a heretic, which lay not in his choice, and hath not been of his parents taught in the truth, that therefore he must howl for ever.  Not while blessed Mary is queen of heaven, will all the priests in Christendom persuade me thereof.  Only be thou fully persuaded in thine own mind, Rowland; for if thou cared not, that were an evil thing indeed.  And of all things, my lad, remember this, that a weak blow were ever better unstruck.  Go now to the armourer, and to him deliver my will that he fit thee out as a cuirassier for his majesty’s service.  I can give thee no rank, for I have no regiment in the making at present, but it may please his majesty to take care of thee, and give thee a place in my lord Glamorgan’s regiment of body-guards.’