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〃If your lordship's lady should set her heart upon the ruby the cost
of it can stand over a while； since I know that it is hard for a
husband to disappoint a wife of what she desires。〃
〃Man； she is my distant cousin； not my wife。 I would she were； but how
can two high…placed paupers wed？〃
〃Perhaps it is for this reason that my lord wishes to borrow money。〃
Again he shrugged his shoulders； and as we entered the shop I threw
back the hood from off my head upon which I wore a merchant's cap of
velvet。 The lady Blanche caught sight of me and started。
〃Surely； surely；〃 she began； 〃you are he who shot the three arrows at
the cave's mouth at Hastings。〃
〃Yes； my lady； and did your hawk escape the dogs upon the London
road？〃
〃Nay； it was crippled and died； which was the first of many troubles；
for I think my luck rode away with you that day； Master Hubert of
Hastings；〃 she added with a sigh。
〃There are other hawks and luck returns；〃 I replied； bowing。 〃Perhaps
this trinket will bring it back to you； my lady；〃 and taking the
snake…surrounded ruby heart； I proffered it to her with another bow。
〃Oh！〃 she said； her blue eyes shining with pleasure； 〃oh！ it is
beautiful； but whence is the price to come for so costly a thing？〃
〃I think the matter is one that can wait。〃
At that moment the lord Deleroy broke in； saying；
〃So you are the man who slew the French knight with an ancient sword；
and afterwards shot three other Frenchmen with three shafts； sending
one of them through shield and mail and body； a tale that was spoken
of afterwards； even in London。 God's truth！ you should be serving the
King in the wars； not yourself behind the counter。〃
〃There are many ways of serving； my lord；〃 I answered； 〃by pen and
merchandise as well as by steel and shafts。 Now with me it is the turn
of the former； though perhaps the ancient sword and the great black
bow wait till their time comes again。〃
He stared at me and muttered； half to himself：
〃A strange merchant and a grim； as those dead Frenchmen may have
thought。 I tell you； Sir Trader； that your talk and the eyes of that
tall Moor of yours turn my back cold； it is as though someone walked
over my grave。 Come； Blanche； let us begone ere our horses be chilled
as I am。 Master Grimmer； or Hastings； you shall hear from me； unless I
can do my business otherwise； and for the trinket send me a note at
your leisure。〃
Then they went； but as the lady Blanche left the shop she caught her
robe and turned to free it； while she did so flashing at me one of her
sweet looks such as I remembered well。
Kari followed to the door and watched them mount their horses at the
gate； then he searched the ground with his eyes。
〃What was it hooked her cloak？〃 I asked。
〃A dream； or the air； Master； for there is nothing else to which it
could have hung。 Those who would throw spears behind them must first
turn round。〃
〃What think you of those two； Kari？〃
〃I think that they will not pay for your jewel； but perhaps this was
but a bait upon the hook。〃
〃And what more； Kari？〃
〃I think that the lady is very fair and false； and that the great
lord's heart is as black as are his eyes。 Also I think that they are
dear to each other and well matched。 But it seems that you have met
them both before； Master； so you will know better about them than your
slave。〃
〃Yes； I have met them；〃 I answered sharply； for his words about
Blanche angered me； adding； 〃I have noted； Kari； that you have never a
good word for any one whom I favour。 You are jealous…natured； Kari；
especially of women。〃
〃You ask； I answer；〃 he replied； falling into broken English； as was
his fashion when moved； 〃and it is true that those who have much love；
are much jealous。 That is a fault in my people。 Also I love not women。
Now I go make another piece for that which Master give the lady。 Only
this time it all snake and no heart。〃
He went； taking the tray of jewels with him； and I； too； went to the
eating…room to think。
How strange was this meeting。 I had never forgotten the lady Blanche；
but in a sense I had lived her memory down and mindful of my uncle's
counsel； had not sought to look upon her again； for which reason I
kept away from Hastings where I thought that I should find her。 And
now here she was in London and in my house； brought thither by fate。
Nor was that all； since those blue eyes of hers had re…lighted the
dead fires in my heart and； seated there alone； I knew that I loved
her； indeed had never ceased to love her。 She was more to me than all
my wealth； more than anything； and alas！ between us there was still a
great gulf fixed。
She was not wed； it was true； but she was a highly placed lady； and I
but a merchant who could not even call myself a squire； or by law wear
garments made of certain stuffs which I handled daily in my trade。 How
might that gulf be crossed？
Then as I mused there rose in my mind a memory of certain sayings of
my wise old uncle； and with it an answer to the question。 Gold would
bridge the widest streams of human difference。 These fine folk for all
their flauntings were poor。 They came to me to borrow money wherewith
to gild their coronets and satisfy the importunate creditors at their
door； lest they should be pulled from their high place and forced back
into the number of the common herd as those who could no longer either
give or pay。
And after all； was this difference between them and me so wide？ The
grandsire of Sir Robert Aleys； I had been told； gathered his wealth by
trade and usury in the old wars； indeed； it was said that he was one
who dealt in cattle； while Lord Deleroy was reported to be a bastard；
if of the bluest blood； so blue that it ran nigh to the royal purple。
Well； what was mine？ On the father's side； Saxon descended from that
of Thanes who went down before the Normans and thereafter became
humble landed folk of the lesser sort。 On the mother's； of the race of
the old sea…kings who slew and conquered through all the world they
knew。 Was I then so far beneath these others？ Nay； but like my father
and my uncle I was one who bought and sold and the hand of the dyer
was stained to the colour of his vat。
Thus stood the business。 I； a stubborn man； not ill…favoured； to whom
Fortune had given wealth； was determined to win this woman who； it
seemed to me； looked upon me with no unkind eye since I had saved her
from certain perils。 To myself then and there I swore I would win her。
The question washow could it be done？ I might enter the service of
the King and fight his battles and doubtless win myself a knighthood；
or more； which would open the closed gate。
Nay； it would take too long； and something warned me that time
pressed。 That strange foreign man； Kari； said that Blanche was
enamoured of this Deleroy； and although I was wrath with him； setting
his words down to jealousy of any on whom I looked with kindness； I
knew well that Kari saw far。 If I tarried； this rare white bird would
slip from my hand into another's cage。 I must stir at once or let the
matter be。 Well； I had wealth； so let wealth be my friend。 Time enough
to try war when it failed me。
On the third day of the new year； which at this time of Court revelry
showed that the matter must indeed be pressing； I received those
particulars for which I had asked； together with a list of the lands
and tenements that Sir Robert Aleys was ready to put in pawn on behalf
of his friend and relative； the lord Deleroy。 Why should he do this； I
wondered？ There could only be one answer： because he and not Deleroy
was to receive the money； or most of it。
Nay； another came into my mind as probable。 Because he looked upon
Deleroy as his heir； which； should he marry the lady Blanche； he would
become。 If this were so I must act； and quickly； that is； if I would
ever see more of the lady Blanche； as perchance I might do by treading
this gold…paved road； but not otherwise。 I studied the list of lands。
As it chanced I knew most of them； for they lay about Pevensey and
Hastings； and saw that they were scarcely worth the moneys which were
asked of me。 Well； what of it？ This matter was not one of trade and
large as the sum might be； I would risk it for the chance of winning
Blanche。
The end of it was that waiting for no valuings I wrote that on proof
of title clean and unencumbered and completion of all deeds； I would
pay over the gold to whoever might be appointed to receive it。
This letter of mine proved to be but the beginning of a long business
whereof the details may be left untold。 On the very next day indeed I
was summoned to the house of Sir Robert Aleys which was near to the
palace and abbey of Westminster。 Here I found the gruff old knight
grown greyer and having； as it seemed to me； a hunted air； and with
him the lord Deleroy and two foxy lawyers of whom I did not like the
look。 Indeed； for the first； I suspected that I was being tricked and
had it not been for the lady Blanche； would have broken off the loan。
Because of her； however； this I did not do； but having stated my terms
anew； and the rate and dates of interest； sat for a long while saying
as little as possible； while the othe