THE CHRONICLE OF CLEMENDY
decree, because they saw there was nothing else to be done; so the man-of-law took a new pen and began to make his arrangements for the payment of that monstrous pile of debts, and Roger had to look on. And in a week's time all the pleasant company had gone from Penhow to search for the four winds, and Sir Roger was left to himself and had plenty of time to consider affairs in general, and his lack of everything that was pleasant and desirable, in particular; and it was at this cheerful season that a white hair or two began to hang about his ears, and his smooth young forehead began to show faint lines here and there. And finding his lonely life quite intolerable after the gay racket of the past, he determined to get out his best suit of armour, grind a keener edge to his sword, sharpen his lance-head to as fine a point as a lady's little finger-tip, and see if he could not pick up a living by breaking heads and bounteous bloodletting. The which was, it must be agreed, a resolution worthy of a brave man, the descendant of an ancient house, and moreover a very salutary one, for anybody who understands mankind, knows that the blood of most people is far too hot and superabundant, hence he who makes it his business in one way or another to cool our passions and make us more reasonable and less violent, is evidently a great benefactor and philanthropist. But misfortune was already beginning to improve Sir Roger, and it made him come to this laudable determination of leaving his castle in Gwent Level, and going over sea to ameliorate the condition of mankind and
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