Quentin Durward

It was upon a delicious summer morning, before the sun had assumed its scorchingpower, and while the dews yet cooled and perfumed the air, that a youth, coming from thenortheastward approached the ford of a small river, or rather a large brook, tributary to theCher, near to the royal Castle of Plessis les Tours, whose dark and multiplied battlementsrose in the background over the extensive forest with which they were surrounded. Thesewoodlands comprised a noble chase, or royal park, fenced by an enclosure, termed, in theLatin of the middle ages, Plexitium, which gives the name of Plessis to so many villages inFrance. The castle and village of which we particularly speak, was called Plessis les Tours, to distinguish it from others, and was built about two miles to the southward of the fairtown of that name, the capital of ancient Touraine, whose rich plain has been termed theGarden of France.On the bank of the above mentioned brook, opposite to that which the traveller wasapproaching, two men, who appeared in deep conversation, seemed, from time to time, towatch his motions; for, as their station was much more elevated, they could remark him atconsiderable distance.The age of the young traveller might be about nineteen, or betwixt that and twenty; andhis face and person, which were very prepossessing, did not, however, belong to thecountry in which he was now a sojourner. His short gray cloak and hose were rather ofFlemish than of French fashion, while the smart blue bonnet, with a single sprig of hollyand an eagle's feather, was already recognized as the Scottish head gear. His dress was veryneat, and arranged with the precision of a youth conscious of possessing a fine person. Hehad at his back a satchel, which seemed to contain a few necessaries, a hawking gauntlet onhis left hand, though he carried no bird, and in his right a stout hunter's pole. Over his leftshoulder hung an embroidered scarf which sustained a small pouch of scarlet velvet, suchas was then used by fowlers of distinction to carry their hawks' food, and other mattersbelonging to that much admired sport. This was crossed by another shoulder belt, to whichwas hung a hunting knife, or couteau de chasse. Instead of the boots of the period, he worebuskins of half dressed deer's skin