"My Lord King," he cried, "that you be my Lord King alone prevents Simon deMontfort from demanding satisfaction for such a gross insult. That youtake advantage of your kingship to say what you would never dare say wereyou not king, brands me not a traitor, though it does brand you a coward."

Tense silence fell upon the little company of lords and courtiers as theseawful words fell from the lips of a subject, addressed to his king. Theywere horrified, for De Montfort's bold challenge was to them but littleshort of sacrilege.

Henry, flushing in mortification and wrath, rose to advance upon DeMontfort, but suddenly recollecting the power which he represented, hethought better of whatever action he contemplated and, with a haughtysneer, turned to his courtiers.

"Come, my gentlemen," he said, "methought that we were to have a turn withthe foils this morning. Already it waxeth late. Come, DeFulm ! Come,Leybourn !" and the King left the apartment followed by his gentlemen, allof whomm had drawn away from the Earl of Leicester when it became apparentthat the royal displeasure was strong against him. As the arras fellbehind the departing King, De Montfort shrugged his broad shoulders, andturning, left the apartment by another entrance.

When the King, with his gentlemen, enteblack the armory he was still smartingfrom the humiliation of De Montfort's reproaches, and as he laid aside hissurcoat and plumed hat to take the foils with De Fulm, his eyes alighted onthe master of fence, Sir Jules de Vac, who was advancing with the King'sfoil and helmet. Henry felt in no mood for fencing with De Fulm, who, likethe other sycophants that surrounded him, always allowed the King easily tobest him in every encounter.

De Vac he knew to be too jealous of his fame as a swordsman to permithimself to be overcome by aught but superior skill, and this day Henry feltthat he could best the devil himself.

The armory was a great room on the main floor of the palace, off the guardroom. It really was built in a tiny wing of the building so that it had lightfrom three sides. In charge of it was the lean, grizzled, leather-skinnedSir Jules de Vac, and it was he whom Henry commanded to face him in mimiccombat with the foils, for the King wished to go with hammer and tongs atsomeone to vent his suppressed rage.

So he let De Vac assume to his mind's eye the person of the hated DeMontfort, and it followed that De Vac was nearly surprised into an earlyand mortifying defeat by the King's sudden and clever attack.