第32章

CanthisbeEdithPlantagenet？’’saidtheKing，bitterly。

EdithPlantagenet，thewiseandthenoble？-Orisitsomelove-sickwoman，whocaresnotforherownfameincomparisonofthelifeofherparamour？Now，byKingHenry’ssoul！

littlehindersbutIorderthyminion’sskulltobebroughtfromthegibbet，andfixedasaperpetualornamentbythecrucifixinthycell！’’

Andifthoudostsenditfromthegibbettobeplacedforeverinmysight，’’saidEdith，Iwillsayitisarelicofagoodknight，cruellyandunworthilydonetodeathby’’-(shecheckedherself)-byone，ofwhomIshallonlysay，heshouldhaveknownbetterhowtorewardchivalry-Minioncall’stthouhim？’’

shecontinuedwithincreasingvehemence，-Hewasindeedmylover，andamosttrueone-butneversoughthegracefrommebylookorword-contentedwithsuchhumbleobservanceasmenpaytothesaints-Andthegood-thevaliant-thefaithful，mustdieforthis！’’

Oh，peace，peace，forpity’ssake，’’whisperedtheQueen；youdobutoffendhimmore！’’

Icarenot，’’saidEdith；thespotlessvirginfearsnottheraginglion。Lethimworkhiswillonthisworthyknight。

Edith，forwhomhedies，willknowhowtoweephismemory-

tomenooneshallspeakmoreofpoliticalliances，tobesanctionedwiththispoorhand。Icouldnot-Iwouldnot-havebeenhisbrideliving-ourdegreesweretoodistant。Butdeathunitesthehighandthelow-Iamhenceforwardthespouseofthegrave。’’

TheKingwasabouttoanswerwithmuchanger，whenaCarmelitemonkenteredtheapartmenthastily，hisheadandpersonmuffledinthelongmantleandhoodofstripedclothofthecoarsesttexture，whichdistinguishedhisorder，and，flinginghimselfonhiskneesbeforetheKing，conjuredhim，byeveryholywordandsign，tostoptheexecution。

Now，bybothswordandsceptre！’’saidRichard，theworldareleaguedtodrivememad！-fools，women，andmonks，crossmeateverystep。Howcomeshetolivestill？’’

Mygraciousliege，’’saidthemonk，IentreatedoftheLordofGilslandtostaytheexecutionuntilIhadthrownmyselfatyourroyal’’-

Andhewaswilfulenoughtograntthyrequest，’’saidtheKing；butitisofapiecewithhiswontedobstinacy-Andwhatisitthouhasttosay？Speakinthefiend’sname！’’

Mylord，thereisaweightysecret-butitrestsunderthesealofconfession-Idarenottellorevenwhisperit-butI

sweartotheebymyholyorder-bythehabitwhichIwear-

bytheblessedElias，ourfounder，evenhimwhowastranslatedwithoutsufferingtheordinarypangsofmortality-thatthisyouthhathdivulgedtomeasecret，which，ifImightconfideittothee，wouldutterlyturntheefromthybloodypurposeinregardtohim。’’

Goodfather，’’saidRichard，thatIreverencethechurch，letthearmswhichInowwearforhersakebearwitness。

Givemetoknowthissecret，andIwilldowhatshallseemfittinginthematter。ButIamnoblindBayard，totakealeapinthedarkunderthestrokeofapairofpriestlyspurs。’’

Mylord，’’saidtheholyman，throwingbackhiscowlanduppervesture，anddiscoveringunderthelatteragarmentofgoat-skin，andfrombeneaththeformeravisagesowildlywastedbyclimate，fast，andpenance，astoresemblerathertheapparitionofananimatedskeletonthanahumanface，fortwentyyearshaveImaceratedthismiserablebodyinthecavernsofEngaddi，doingpenanceforagreatcrime。ThinkyouI，whoamdeadtotheworld，wouldcontriveafalsehoodtoendangermyownsoul，orthatone，boundbythemostsacredoathstothecontrary-onesuchasI，whohavebutonelongingwishconnectedwithearth，towit，therebuildingofourChristianZion，-wouldbetraythesecretsoftheconfessional？Botharealikeabhorrenttomyverysoul。’’

So，’’answeredtheKing，thouartthathermitofwhommenspeaksomuch？Thouart，Iconfess，likeenoughtothosespiritswhichwalkindryplaces，butRichardfearsnohobgoblins-

andthouarthe，too，asIbethinkme，towhomtheChristianprincessentthisverycriminaltoopenacommunicationwiththeSoldan，evenwhileI，whooughttohavebeenfirstconsulted，layonmysick-bed？Thouandtheymaycontentthemselves-Iwill

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