“My Lord of Fife, of a truth this is a most sudden and unlooked-for event,” said the Lord Welles, with the appearance, if not with the reality, of surprise on his countenance. “Hath any reason been assigned, the which it may be permitted thee to utter to me?”
“His Majesty’s reasons, my good Lord, are not always given,” replied the Earl of Fife, evasively; “but thou knowest that it is the part of a subject implicitly to obey, without inquiring too curiously into the nature of the wires that may be on the stretch to put him in motion; and I must submit as well as others. Hast thou had no communications lately from thine own court?”
“If thy coming tourney doth ever hold,” said the Lord Welles, altogether avoiding the home question of the Earl of Fife, and glancing curiously into the faces of those around him, “it will suffer little in its pomp or circumstance, I trow, from my departure, where thou hast so great an assemblage of Scottish knights to give lustre to it, but if they should be called away, indeed, by anything connected with my dismissal, it may in that case dwindle, peraunter, and expire of very consumption ere it hath been well born.”
The Lord Welles’s eyes returned from their excursion round the table, without displaying signs of having gathered anything from the firm Scottish countenances they had scanned.
“And when must I of needscost set forward, my Lord?” continued the Lord Welles, addressing the Earl of Fife.
“A party of lances will be in waiting to-morrow morning by [[331]]sunrise, to guide and protect thee on thy way, and I do believe that thou wilt find that sufficient time hath been given thee in the parchment thou hast, to make the journey easy. Shouldst thou, peradventure, covet the provision of anything that may contribute to thy comfort or expedition, the which I may have the power to procure for thee, I do beseech thee to let me be informed, and it shall be mine especial care that thou mayest be gratified.”
“Nay, my Lord Earl of Fife, I lack nothing,” replied the Lord Welles.
“And now, then, my good Lord, I bid thee good night,” said the Earl of Fife. “Farewell; it will give me joy again to meet with thee as a friend, until when may St. George be with thee.”
“Receive our fullest thanks for all thy gracious courtesy,” replied the Lord Welles.
The Earl of Fife now arose with the Earls Douglas, Moray, and Dunbar, and took his leave, with many condescending protestations. The Lord Welles and his friends loitered a little time after he was gone, and the Scottish knights having by this time risen from the council board, he mingled familiarly among them.