"A toi, ma cherie!" said he, with his hand over his heart.
"Hola! there is la petite peeping from behind the door. A toi,
aussi, ma petite! Mon Dieu! but the lass has a good color!"
"There is one thing, fair sir," said the Cambridge student in his
piping voice, "which I would fain that you would make more clear.
As I understand it, there was peace made at the town of Bretigny
some six years back between our most gracious monarch and the
King of the French. This being so, it seems most passing strange
that you should talk so loudly of war and of companies when there
is no quarrel between the French and us."
"Meaning that I lie," said the archer, laying down his knife.
"May heaven forfend!" cried the student hastily. "_Magna est
veritas sed rara_, which means in the Latin tongue that archers
are all honorable men. I come to you seeking knowledge, for it
is my trade to learn."
"I fear that you are yet a 'prentice to that trade," quoth the
soldier; "for there is no child over the water but could answer
what you ask. Know then that though there may be peace between
our own provinces and the French, yet within the marches of
France there is always war, for the country is much divided
against itself, and is furthermore harried by bands of flayers,
skinners, Brabacons, tardvenus, and the rest of them.
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