‘Holy mother!’ exclaimed lady Margaret.

‘But I have no good luck at fighting,’ he went on.  ’And how again at Monmouth, the hare-hearts with which I had thought to garrison the place fled at the bare advent of that same parliament beagle, Waller!  By St. George! it were easier to make an engine that should mow down a thousand brave men with one sweep of a scythe-and I could make it-than to put courage into the heart of one runaway rascal.  It makes me mad to think how they have disgraced me!’

‘But Monmouth is thine own again, Herbert!’

’Yes-thanks to the love they bear my father, not to my generalship!  Thy husband is a poor soldier, Peggy:  he cannot make soldiers.’

’Then why not leave the field to others, and labour at thy engines, love?  If thou wilt, I tell thee what-I will doff my gown, and in wrapper and petticoat help thee, sweet.  I will to it with bare arms like thine own.’

’Thou wouldst like Una make a sunshine in the shady place, Margaret.  But no.  Poor soldier as I am, I will do my best, even where good fortune fails me, and glory awaits not my coming.  Thou knowest that at fourteen days’ warning I brought four thousand foot and eight hundred horse again to the siege of Gloucester.  It would ill befit my father’s son to spare what he can when he is pouring out his wealth like water at the feet of his king.  No, wife; the king shall not find me wanting, for in serving my king, I serve my God; and if I should fail, it may hold that an honest failure comes nigh enough a victory to be set down in the chronicles of the high countries.  But in truth it presses on me sorely, and I am troubled at heart that I should be so given over to failure.’

’Never heed it, my lord.  The sun comes out clear at last maugre all the region fogs.’

’Thanks, sweet heart!  Things do look up a little in the main, and if the king had but a dozen more such friends as my lord marquis, they would soon be well.  Why, my dove of comfort, wouldst thou believe it?-I did this day, as I rode home to seek thy fair face, I did count up what sums he hath already spent for his liege; and indeed I could not recollect them all, but I summed up, of pounds already spent by him on his majesty’s behalf, well towards a hundred and fifty thousand!  And thou knowest the good man, that while he giveth generously like the great Giver, he giveth not carelessly, but hath respect to what he spendeth.’

’Thy father, Ned, is loyalty and generosity incarnate.  If thou be but half so good a husband as thy father is a subject, I am a happy woman.’

‘What! know’st thou not yet thy husband, Peggy?’

’In good soberness, though, Ned, surely the saints in heaven will never let such devotion fail of its end.’

’My father is but one, and the king’s foes are many.  So are his friends-but they are lukewarm compared to my father-the rich ones of them, I mean.  Would to God I had not lost those seven great troop-horses that the pudding-fisted clothiers of Gloucester did rob me of!  I need them sorely now.  I bought them with mine own-or rather with thine, sweet heart.  I had been saving up the money for a carcanet for thy fair neck.’