" Thereupon,
rising, he drew his iron gauntlet from his girdle, and flung it clashing
down upon the floor, and with his heart swelling within him with anger
and indignation and pity of his blind father, he cried, in a loud
voice, "I do accuse thee, William of Alban, that thou liest vilely as
aforesaid, and here cast down my gage, daring thee to take it up."
The Earl of Alban made as though he would accept the challenge, but the
King stopped him hastily.
"Stop!" he cried, harshly. "Touch not the gage! Let it lie--let it lie,
I tell thee, my Lord! Now then," said he, turning to the others, "tell
me what meaneth all this coil? Who brought this man hither?"
He looked from one to another of those who stood silently around, but no
one answered.
"I see," said he, "ye all have had to do with it. It is as my Lord of
Alban sayeth; ye are his enemies, and ye are my enemies as well. In this
I do smell a vile plot. I cannot undo what I have done, and since I have
made this young man a knight with mine own hands, I cannot deny that
he is fit to challenge my Lord of Alban. Ne'theless, the High Court of
Chivalry shall adjudge this case. Meantime," said he, turning to the
Earl Marshal, who was present, "I give thee this attainted Lord in
charge. Convey him presently to the Tower, and let him abide our
pleasure there. Also, thou mayst take up yon gage, and keep it till it
is redeemed according to our pleasure.
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