But now the Lord of Arkell had found his tongue.
“My lord prince,” he said, bowing low with stately courtesy, “if, as my lady mother and good Count William would force me, I am to be loyal vassal to you, my lieges here, I should but follow where you dare to lead. Go YOU into the lions’ den, lord prince, and I will follow you, though it were into old Hercules’ very teeth.”
It was a shrewd reply, and covered as good a “double-dare” as ever one boy made to another. Some of the manlier of the young courtiers indeed even dared to applaud. But the Dauphin John was stronger in tongue than in heart.
“Peste!” he cried contemptuously. “‘T is a fool’s answer and a fool’s will. And well shall we see now how you will sneak out of it all. See, Lord of Arkell, you who can prate so loudly of Cods and lions: here before all, I dare you to face Count William’s lions yourself!”
The young Lord of Arkell was in his rich court suit—a tight-fitting, great-sleeved silk jacket, rich, violet chausses, or tights, and pointed shoes. But without a word, with scarce a look toward his challenger, he turned to his nearest neighbor, a brave Zealand lad, afterward noted in Dutch history—Francis von Borselen.
“Lend me your gabardine, friend Franz, will you not?” he said.
The young von Borselen took from the back of the settle, over which it was flung, his gabardine—the long, loose gray cloak that was a sort of overcoat in those days of queer costume.
“It is here, my Otto,” he said.
The Lord of Arkell drew the loose gray cloak over his rich silk suit, and turned toward the door.
“Otto von Arkell lets no one call him fool or coward, lord prince,” he said. “What I have dared you all to do, I dare do, if you do not. See, now: I will face Count William’s lions!”