第30章

Itiswell，’’saidDeVaux，slowlyandsolemnly；foritirksmesomewhattosaythatwhichsumsmymessage。ItisKingRichard’spleasurethatyouprepareforinstantdeath。’’

God’spleasureandtheking’sbedone，’’repliedtheknight，patiently。Ineithercontestthejusticeofthesentence，nordesiredelayoftheexecution。’’

DeVauxbegantoleavethetent，butveryslowly-pausedatthedoor，andlookedbackattheScot，fromwhoseaspectthoughtsoftheworldseemedbanished，asifhewascomposinghimselfintodeepdevotion。ThefeelingsofthestoutEnglishBaronwereingeneralnoneofthemostacute，andyet，onthepresentoccasion，hissympathyoverpoweredhiminanunusualmanner。Hecamehastilybacktothebundleofreedsonwhichthecaptivelay，tookoneofhisfetteredhands，andsaid，withasmuchsoftnessashisroughvoicewascapableofexpressing，SirKenneth，thouartyoung-yetthouhastafather。MyRalph，whomIlefttraininghislittlegallowaynagonthebanksoftheIrthing，mayonedayattainthyyears-and，butforlastnight，IwouldtoGodIsawhisyouthbearsuchpromiseasthine！-Cannothingbesaidordoneinthybehalf？’’

Nothing，’’wasthemelancholyanswer。Ihavedesertedmycharge-thebannerintrustedtomeislost-whentheheadsmanandblockareprepared，theheadandtrunkarereadytopartcompany。’’

Nay，then，Godhavemercy！’’saidDeVaux；yetwouldIratherthanmybesthorseIhadtakenthatwatchmyself。

Thereismysteryinit，youngman，asaplainmanmaydescry，thoughhecannotseethroughit-Cowardice？pshaw！NocowardeverfoughtasIhaveseentheedo-Treachery？I

cannotthinktraitorsdieintheirtreasonsocalmly。Thouhastbeentrainedfromthypostbysomedeepguile-somewell-devisedstratagem-thecryofsomedistressedmaidenhascaughtthineear，orthelaughfullookofsomemerryonehastakenthineeye。Neverblushforit，wehaveallbeenledasidebysuchgear。Come，Ipraythee，makeacleanconscienceofittome，insteadofthepriest。Richardismercifulwhenhismoodisabated。Hastthounothingtointrusttome？’’

Theunfortunateknightturnedhisfacefromthekindwarrior，andanswered-=Nothing。=’’

AndDeVaux，whohadexhaustedhistopicsofpersuasion，aroseandleftthetent，withfoldedarms，andinmelancholydeeperthanhethoughttheoccasionmerited-evenangrywithhimselftofindthatsosimpleamatterasthedeathofaScotsmancouldaffecthimsonearly。

Yet，’’ashesaidtohimself，thoughtherough-footedknavesbeourenemiesinCumberland，inPalestineonealmostconsidersthemasbrethren。’’

’Tisnothersense-forsure，inthatThere’snothingmorethancommonAndallherwitisonlychat，Likeanyotherwoman。

Song。

Thehigh-bornBerengaria，daughterofSanchez，KingofNavarre，andtheQueen-ConsortoftheheroicRichard，wasaccountedoneofthemostbeautifulwomenoftheperiod。Herformwasslight，thoughexquisitelymoulded。Shewasgracedwithacomplexionnotcommoninhercountry，aprofusionoffairhair，andfeaturessoextremelyjuvenile，astomakeherlookseveralyearsyoungerthanshereallywas，thoughinrealityshewasnotaboveone-and-twenty。Perhapsitwasundertheconsciousnessofthisextremelyjuvenileappearance，thatsheaffected，oratleastpractised，alittlechildishpetulance，andwilfulnessofmanner，notunbefitting，shemightsuppose，ayouthfulbride，whoserankandagegaveherarighttohaveherfantasiesindulgedandattendedto。Shewasbynatureperfectlygood-humoured，andifherdueshareofadmirationandhomage(inheropinionaverylargeone)wasdulyresignedtoher，noonecouldpossessbettertemper，oramorefriendlydisposition；butthen，likealldespots，themorepowerthatwasvoluntarilyyieldedtoher，themoreshedesiredtoextendhersway。Sometimes，evenwhenallherambitionwasgratified，shechosetobealittleoutofhealth，andalittleoutofspirits；

andphysicianshadtotoiltheirwitstoinventnamesforimaginarymaladies，whileherladiesrackedtheirimaginationfornewgames，newheadgear，andnewcourt-scandal，topassawaythoseunpleasanthours，duringwhichtheirownsituationwasscarcetobegreatlyenvied。Theirmostfrequentresour

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