SIR ISUMBRAS AT THE FORD _BY THE SAME AUTHOR_ IN COLLABORATION WITH G. W. TAYLOR CHANTEMERLE THE VISION SPLENDID SIR ISUMBRAS AT THE FORD BY D. K. BROSTER LONDON: JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET, W. 1918 TO BARBARA AND HER SON PHILIP "And als he wente by a woodë schawe, Thare mette he with a lytille knave Came rynnande him agayne-- 'Gramercy, faire Syr Isumbras, Have pitie on us in this case, And lifte us uppe for Marie's grace!' N'as never childe so fayne. Theretoe of a mayden he was ware, That over floude ne mighte not fare, Sir Ysumbras stoopède him thare And uppe ahent hem twayne." _METRICAL ROMANCE OF SIR YSUMBRAS._ _All rights reserved_ CONTENTS BOOK ONE THE ROAD TO FRANCE I. ANNE-HILARION GETS OUT OF BED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 II. AND IS PUT BACK AGAIN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 III. PURCHASE OF A GOLDFISH, AND OTHER IMPORTANT MATTERS. . . 19 IV. VISIT TO TWO FAIRY GODMOTHERS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 V. THOMAS THE RHYMER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 VI. "A LITTLE BOY LOST". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 VII. THE CHEVALIER DE LA VIREVILLE MEETS "MONSIEUR AUGUSTIN". 54 BOOK TWO THE ROAD TO ENGLAND VIII. SOME RESULTS OF LISTENING TO POETRY. . . . . . . . . . . 69 IX. THE _TROIS FRÈRES_ OF CAEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 X. HAPPENINGS IN A POSTCHAISE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 XI. "FIFTY FATHOMS DEEP" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 XII. INTRODUCING GRAIN D'ORGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 XIII. FAR IN THE FOREST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 XIV. CÆSAREA THE GREEN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 XV. CAVENDISH SQUARE ONCE MORE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 XVI. THE AGENT DE LA CORRESPONDANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 XVII. STRANGE CONDUCT OF THE AGENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 XVIII. EQUALLY STRANGE CONDUCT OF "MONSIEUR AUGUSTIN" . . . . . 168 XIX. LA PORTE DU MANOIR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179 XX. SEA-HOLLY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 XXI. HOW ANNE-HILARION FED THE DUCKS. . . . . . . . . . . . . 203 BOOK THREE THE ROAD THAT FEW RETURNED ON