He stopped, unable from the vehemence of his passion to proceed, and Ralph Leroche answered calmly: "Obedience is its own reward, and worth more than a kingdom. It is not obedience that calculates on profit. But you know not, prince, what your father may yet have in store for you." "Speak not to me of my father," exclaimed John; "I hate him!" "Heaven forgive you that word!" replied the fearless knight. "Be advised, I entreat; and repent--" "Dotard!" exclaimed the prince, as in blind rage he struck him in the mouth with his clenched fist. "Keep thy advice for dogs, and not for princes!" How the scene would have ended, one cannot say. At that moment a flourish of trumpets raised the echoes of the wood, and a gay procession passed down the forest road towards Tours. Alas, for Prince John! He recognised in the two men who rode at its head, Philip of France, his father's enemy, and Richard, his own rebel elder brother. Goaded by passion, burning with resentment towards his father for the supposed injustice he had suffered, he rushed recklessly into the arms of this sudden temptation. Striding through the thickets, and heedless of the warnings of the loyal Ralph, he emerged on to the road in front of the cavalcade. The leaders halted their horses in sudden surprise. "What brave lad have we here?" asked Philip, perplexed. John stepped forward, and answered for himself. "I am John Plantagenet, once son of the King of England, but now vassal to the King of France!" Great was the astonishment on every face, and on none more than on those of Philip and Richard. The latter flushed, half in anger, half in shame, as he exclaimed, "Boy, thou art mad!" "Nay," said Philip, "the lad is a lad of sense, and bears a worthy name that will serve our cause exceedingly." So saying, he summoned one of his knights, and bidding him dismount, gave the young prince his horse, and made him ride beside him. "But tell us, lad," he said, when they had proceeded a little way, "how is it thy father's dutiful and cherished son (for so I have heard him speak of thee) comes thus among the ranks of his foemen, and that at a time like this, when peace has been almost completed?" "Ask me no questions," replied the prince, gloomily; "I am here because I choose." And so they rode into Tours. A few days later, a silent group was standing round the sickbed of the King of England, listening to the broken utterances which fell from the lips of that old and wellnigh worn-out warrior. Those who thus stood round him were his favourite knights and barons, not a few of whom were moved to tears as he spoke.