Think you still that it was so vicious a thing, so unpardonable an offence to seek the blessed nepenthe of the wine-cup, the heavenly forgetfulness that its abuses brought me?
Is it strange that I became known as the wildest tantivy boy that rode with the King?
What else had I ?" "In all truth your trials were sore," said the lad in a voice that contained a note of sympathy.

And yet there was a certain restraint that caught the Tavern Knight's ear.

He turned his head and bent his eyes in the lad's direction, but it was quite dark by now, and he failed to make out his companion's face.
"My tale is told, Kenneth.

The rest you can guess.

The King did not prevail and I was forced to fly from England with those others who escaped from the butchers that had made a martyr of Charles.