"Nay, nay, flatter me not," he replied, with a depreciating smile; "thou hast the same, if not a better, judgment, if thou wouldst but be calm and use it."
"Jist wait till to-morrow, and Master Catesby 'll fale the weight o' moy hand," growled Michael, whose features still wore their look of grim determination.
Lord Stanley received me most cordially, and expressed his regret at my great misfortune in falling into the trap set with such prodigious skill by Catesby.
"Do but be patient, Sir Walter," said he, in that kindly voice of his, "to-morrow's work shall tell a different tale. Richard doth despise his foe, and his great conceit doth cause him to underestimate the hatred his subjects have for him.
"I have a scar upon my head, the which must be revenged. Besides, he hath taken my son, George Stanley, to keep as an hostage for my loyalty. That I may save my son's life it shall be necessary for me to hold back my forces from taking part against the boar, until such time as he doth engage with Richmond. Then shall the tide of battle change, and England shall be freed of tyranny."
That night, Harleston, Michael, and I, all occupied the one tent, and again was the tournament brought afresh to my mind, and with it an even more intense hatred of my powerful foe, which I now felt I would soon have within my power to crush. With the sweet thoughts of a speedy vengeance for all my wrongs, I at length fell into a restless sleep, from which I was awakened by the shrill blast of the startling trumpet.
The day was just dawning; but with no great cheer of brightness. The great hollow plain of Redmoor looked dark and misty, as though it did dislike and dreaded the shock of battle that soon was to disturb its gloomy, brooding stillness.
When we had breakfasted and armed, the sun had risen sufficiently high—though still did he remain behind a thick and dreary covering—to enable us to watch the movements of the two opposing armies.
The shape of this battle-field—as ye all do know—is that of a shallow saucer, with one side chipped out, or flattened.
From the right of us Richmond's army, numbering some six thousand men, all told, advanced slowly down the gentle slope to meet the tyrant and his force of some twelve thousand, or thereabouts, approaching from the other side.