He had lost much blood, having lain a long time, as I say, in the fallow-field before Shafto found him.  Oft-recurring fever, extreme depression, and intermittent and doubtful progress life-wards followed.  Through all the commotion of the king’s visits, the coming and going, the clang of hoofs and clanking of armour, the heaving of hearts and clamour of tongues, he lay lapped in ignorance and ministration, hidden from the world and deaf to the gnarring of its wheels, prisoned in a twilight dungeon, to which Richard’s sword had been the key.  The world went grinding on and on, much the same, without him whom it had forgotten; but the over-world remembered him, and now and then looked in at a window:  all dungeons have one window which no gaoler and no tyrant can build up.

The marquis went often to see him, full of pity for the gay youth thus brought low; but he would lie pale and listless, now and then turning his eyes, worn large with the wasting of his face, upon him, but looking as if he only half heard him.  His master grew sad about him.  The next time his majesty came, he asked him if he remembered the youth, telling him how he had lain wounded ever since the battle at Naseby.  The king remembered him well enough, but had never missed him.  The marquis then told him how anxious he was about him, for that nothing woke him from the weary heartlessness into which he had fallen.

‘I will pay him a visit,’ said the king.

’Sir, it is what I would have requested, had I not feared to pain your majesty,’ returned the marquis.

‘I will go at once,’ said the king.

When Rowland saw him his face flushed, the tears rose in his eyes, he kissed the hand the king held out to him, and said feebly:—­

’Pardon, sire:  if I had rode better, the battle might have been yours.  I reached not the prince.’

‘It is the will of God,’ said the king, remembering for the first time that he had sent him to Rupert.  ’Thou didst thy best, and man can do no more.’

‘Nay, sire, but an’ I had ridden honestly,’ returned Rowland; ’—­I mean had my mare been honestly come by, then had I done your majesty’s message.’

‘How is that?’ asked the king.

‘Ha!’ said the marquis; ’then it was Heywood met thee, and would have his own again?  Told I not thee so?  Ah, that mare, Rowland! that mare!’

But Rowland had to summon all his strength to keep from fainting, for the blood had fled again to his heart, and could not reply.

‘Thou didst thy duty like a brave knight and true, I doubt not,’ said the king, kindly wishful to comfort him; ’and that my word may be a true one,’ he added, drawing his sword and laying it across the youth’s chest, ’although I cannot tell thee to rise and walk, I tell thee, when thou dost arise, to rise up sir Rowland Scudamore.’

The blood rushed to sir Rowland’s face, but fled again as fast.

‘I deserve no such honour, sire,’ he murmured.