He clapped the man-at-arms that was Jehan 's nephew on the shoulder , and kissed the wench , and fretted with his feet among the rushes to show it was finished . -LRB- The Great Hall is always bitter cold . -RRB- I stood at his side ; Hugh was behind Gilbert in the fireplace making to play with wise rough Odo . He signed to De Aquila , who bade Gilbert measure the new field for the new couple . Out then runs our Gilbert between man and maid , his beads clashing at his waist , and the Hall being empty , we three sit by the fire . ` Said Hugh , leaning down to the hearthstones , `` I saw this stone move under Gilbert 's foot when Odo snuffed at it . Look ! '' De Aquila digged in the ashes with his sword ; the stone tilted ; beneath it lay a parchment folden , and the writing atop was : `` Words spoken against the King by our Lord of Pevensey -- the second part . '' ` Here was set out -LRB- Hugh read it us whispering -RRB- every jest De Aquila had made to us touching the King ; every time he had called out to me from the shot-window , and every time he had said what he would do if he were King of England . Yes , day by day had his daily speech , which he never stinted , been set down by Gilbert , tricked out and twisted from its true meaning , yet withal so cunningly that none could deny who knew him that De Aquila had in some sort spoken those words . Ye see ? ' Dan and Una nodded . ` Yes , ' said Una gravely . ` It is n't what you say so much . It 's what you mean when you say it . Like calling Dan a beast in fun . Only grown-ups do n't always understand . ' ' `` He hath done this day by day before our very face ? '' said De Aquila . ' `` Nay , hour by hour , '' said Hugh .
`` When De Aquila spoke even now , in the Hall , of Saxons and Normans , I saw Gilbert write on a parchment , which he kept beside the Manor-roll , that De XXXXX said soon there would be no Normans left in England if his men-at-arms did their work aright . '' '
Aquila Hugh Jehan daily day folden grown-ups hour shot-window wench