第31章

This，andaman’slifeatstake！’’saidEdith，indignantly；

itpasseshumanpatience。Remainatyourease，madam，I

willgotoKingRichard-Iamapartyinterested-Iwillknowifthehonourofapoormaidenofhisbloodistobesofartamperedwith，thathernameshallbeabusedtotrainabravegentlemanfromhisduty，bringhimwithinthecompassofdeathandinfamy，andmake，atthesametime，thegloryofEnglandalaughing-stocktothewholeChristianarmy。’’

Atthisunexpectedburstofpassion，Berengarialistenedwithanalmoststupifiedlookoffearandwonder。ButasEdithwasabouttoleavethetent，sheexclaimed，thoughfaintly，Stopher-stopher。’’

Youmust，indeed，stop，nobleLadyEdith，’’saidCalista，takingherarmgently；andyou，royalmadam，Iamsure，willgo，andwithoutfartherdallying。IftheladyEdithgoesalonetotheKing，hewillbedreadfullyincensed，norwillitbeonelifethatwillstayhisfury。’’

Iwillgo-Iwillgo，’’saidtheQueen，yieldingtonecessity；

andEdithreluctantlyhaltedtowaithermovements。

Theywerenowasspeedyasshecouldhavedesired。TheQueenhastilywrappedherselfinalargeloosemantle，whichcoveredallinaccuraciesofthetoilet。Inthisguise，attendedbyEdithandherwomen，andprecededandfollowedbyafewofficersandmen-at-arms，shehastenedtothetentofherlion-likehusband。

Wereeveryhairuponhisheadalife，AndeverylifeweretobesupplicatedBynumbersequaltothosehairsquadrupled，LifeafterlifeshouldoutlikewaningstarsBeforethedaybreak-orasfestivelamps，Whichhavelentlustretothemidnightrevel，Eachaftereacharequench’dwhenguestsdepart！

OldPlay。

TheentranceofQueenBerengariaintotheinteriorofRichard’spavilionwaswithstood-inthemostrespectfulandreverentialmannerindeed-butstillwithstood，bythechamberlainswhowatchedintheoutertent。ShecouldhearthesterncommandoftheKingfromwithin，prohibitingtheirentrance。

Yousee，’’saidtheQueen，appealingtoEdith，asifshehadexhaustedallmeansofintercessioninherpower-Iknewit-

theKingwillnotreceiveus。’’

Atthesametime，theyheardRichardspeaktosomeonewithin-Go，speedthineofficequickly，sirrah-forinthatconsiststhymercy-tenbezantsifthoudeal’stonhimatoneblow-And，harkthee，villain，observeifhischeeklosescolour，orhiseyefalters-markmethesmallesttwitchofthefeatures，orwinkoftheeyelid-Ilovetoknowhowbravesoulsmeetdeath。’’

Ifheseesmybladewavedaloftwithoutshrinking，heisthefirsteverdidso，’’answeredaharshdeepvoice，whichasenseofunusualawehadsoftenedintoasoundmuchlowerthanitsusualcoarsetones。

Edithcouldremainsilentnolonger。IfyourGrace，’’shesaidtotheQueen，makenotyourownway，Imakeitforyou；orifnotforyourMajesty，formyselfatleast-Chamberlains，theQueendemandstoseeKingRichard-thewifetospeakwithherhusband。’’

Noblelady，’’saidtheofficer，loweringhiswandofoffice，itgrievesmetogainsayyou；buthisMajestyisbusiedonmattersoflifeanddeath。’’

Andweseekalsotospeakwithhimonmattersoflifeanddeath，’’saidEdith-IwillmakeentranceforyourGrace。’’-

And，puttingasidethechamberlainwithonehand，shelaidholdonthecurtainwiththeother。

IdarenotgainsayherMajesty’spleasure，’’saidthechamberlain，yieldingtothevehemenceofthefairpetitioner；andashegaveway，theQueenfoundherselfobligedtoentertheapartmentofRichard。

TheMonarchwaslyingonhiscouch，andatsomedistance，asawaitinghisfarthercommands，stoodamanwhoseprofessionitwasnotdifficulttoconjecture。Hewasclothedinajerkinofredcloth，whichreachedscantlybelowtheshoulders，leavingthearmsbarefromabouthalf-wayabovetheelbow，and，asanuppergarment，hewore，whenaboutasatpresenttobetakehimselftohisdreadfuloffice，acoatortabardwithoutsleeves，somethinglikethatofaherald，madeofdressedbull’shide，andstainedinthefrontwithmanyabroadspotandspeckleofdullcrimson。Thejerkin，andthetabardoverit，reachedtheknee，andthenetherstocks，orcoveringofthelegs，wereofthesameleatherwhichcomposedthetabard。Acapofroughshagservedtohidetheupperpartofavisage，which，likethatofascreech-owl，seemedde

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