"Indeed!"
"A brave and noble gentleman," said James II., with an enthusiasm that made the poor soldier's heart expand with the purest joy; "lord earl, do you not know him?"
"Yes," said Douglas, frigidly; "but what of him?"
"He gave me a goshawk as a gift last New Year's-day, and I have killed with it every corbie in the woods of Bristo."
"Indeed!"
"And then at Lady-day he gave me two such noble hounds of St. Hubert's breed!"
"St. Bryde! how came such as he by dogs so rare?"
Sir Patrick bit his nether lip with suppressed passion at this continued insolence of tone, while the young king replied:—
"We sent him with a message to Jacqueline of Hainault—at least the Regent Livingstone did so, last year,—an errand of courtesy, for the countess was my father's friend. In passing through the forest of Ardennes, he tarried for a night at the Benedictine abbey of St. Hubert, and bought from the monks these two black hounds, the lineal descendants of those which accompanied the saint when he hunted with St. Eustace. They have silver collars, and despite my lady Glammis, sleep every night at the foot of my bed!"
"Laus Deo!" said the earl, shrugging his shoulders; "doubtless they must have somewhat of the odour of sanctity about them."