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。Theirmostfrequentresourcefordivertingthismaladywassometrickorpieceofmischief，practiseduponeachother；andthegoodQueen，inthebuoyancyofherrevivingspirits，was，tospeaktruth，rathertooindifferentwhetherthefrolicsthuspractisedwereentirelybefittingherowndignity，orwhetherthepainwhichthosesuffereduponwhomtheywereinflictedwasnotbeyondtheproportionofpleasurewhichsheherselfderivedfromthem。
Shewasconfidentinherhusband’sfavour，inherhighrank，andinhersupposedpowertomakegoodwhateversuchpranksmightcostothers。Inaword，shegamboledwiththefreedomofayounglioness，whoisunconsciousoftheweightofherownpawswhenlaidonthosewhomshesportswith。
TheQueenBerengarialovedherhusbandpassionately，butshefearedtheloftinessandroughnessofhischaracter，andasshefeltherselfnottobehismatchinintellect，wasnotmuchpleasedtoseethathewouldoftentalkwithEdithPlantagenetinpreferencetoherself，simplybecausehefoundmoreamusementinherconversation，amorecomprehensiveunderstanding，andamorenoblecastofthoughtsandsentiments，thanhisbeautifulconsortexhibited。BerengariadidnothateEdithonthisaccount，farlessmeditateheranyharm:for，allowingforsomeselfishness，hercharacterwas，onthewhole，innocentandgenerous。Buttheladiesofhertrain，sharp-sightedinsuchmatters，hadforsometimediscoveredthatapoignantjestattheexpenseoftheLadyEdithwasaspecificforrelievingherGraceofEngland’slowspirits，andthediscoverysavedtheirimaginationmuchtoil。
Therewassomethingungenerousinthis，becausetheLadyEdithwasunderstoodtobeanorphan；andthoughshewascalledPlantagenet，andtheFairMaidofAnjou，andadmittedbyRichardtocertainprivilegesonlygrantedtotheroyalfamily，andheldherplaceinthecircleaccordingly，yetfewknew；andnoneacquaintedwiththeCourtofEnglandventuredtoask，inwhatexactdegreeofrelationshipshestoodtoCurdeLion。ShehadcomewithEleanor，thecelebratedQueenMotherofEngland，andjoinedRichardatMessina，asoneoftheladiesdestinedtoattendonBerengaria，whosenuptialsthenapproached。Richardtreatedhiskinswomanwithmuchrespectfulobservance，andtheQueenmadeherhermostconstantattendant，and，evenindespiteofthepettyjealousywhichwehaveobserved，treatedher，generally，withsuitablerespect。
Theladiesofthehouseholdhad，foralongtime，nofartheradvantageoverEdith，thanmightbeaffordedbyanopportunityofcensuringalessartfullydisposedheadattire，oranunbecomingrobe；fortheladywasjudgedtobeinferiorinthesemysteries。ThesilentdevotionoftheScottishKnightdidnot，indeed，passunnoticed；hisliveries，hiscognisance，hisfeatsofarms，hismottoesanddevices，werenearlywatched，andoccasionallymadethesubjectofapassingjest。ButthencamethepilgrimageoftheQueenandherladiestoEngaddi，ajourneywhichtheQueenhadundertakenunderavowfortherecoveryofherhusband’shealth，andwhichshehadbeenencouragedtocarryintoeffectbytheArchbishopofTyreforapoliticalpurpose。Itwasthen，andinthechapelatthatholyplace，connectedfromabovewithaCarmelitenunnery，frombeneathwiththecelloftheanchorite，thatoneoftheQueen’sattendantsremarkedthatsecretsignofintelligencewhichEdithhadmadetoherlover，andfailednotinstantlytocommunicateittoherMajesty。TheQueenreturnedfromherpilgrimageenrichedwiththisadmirablerecipeagainstdulnessorennui，andhertrainwasatthesametimeaugmentedbyapresentoftwowretcheddwarfsfromthedethronedQueenofJerusalem，asdeformedandascrazy(theexcellenceofthatunhappyspecies)asanyQueencouldhavedesired。OneofBerengaria’sidleamusementshadbeentotrytheeffectofthesuddenappearanceofsuchghastlyandfantasticformsonthenervesoftheKnightwhenleftaloneinthechapel；butthejesthadbeenlostbythecomposureoftheScot，andtheinterferenceoftheanchorite。Shehadnowtriedanother，ofwhichtheconsequencespromisedtobemoreserious。
TheladiesagainmetafterSirKennethhadretiredfromthetent；andtheQueen，atfirstlittlemovedbyEdith’sangryexpostulations，onlyrepliedtoherbyupbraidingherprudery，andbyindulgingherwitattheexpenseofthegarb，nation，and，aboveall，thepoverty，oftheKnightoftheLeopard，inwhichshedisplayedagooddealofplayfulmalice，mingledwithsomehumour，untilEdithwascompelledtocarryheranxietytoherseparateapartment。Butwhen，inthemorningafemalewhomEdithhadintrustedtomakeinquiry，broughtwordthatthestandardwasmissing，anditschampionvanished，sheburstintotheQueen’sapartment，andimploredhertoriseandproceedtotheKing’stentwithoutdelay，anduseherpowerfulmediationtopreventtheevilconsequencesofherjest。
TheQueen，frightenedinherturn，cast，asisusual，theblameofherownfollyonthosearoundher，andendeavouredtocomfortEdith’sgrief，andappeaseherdispleasure，byathousandinconsistentarguments。Shewassurenoharmhadchanced-theknightwassleeping，shefancied，afterhisnight-watch。
Whatthough，forfearoftheKing’sdispleasure，hehaddesertedwiththestandard-itwasbutapieceofsilk，andhebutaneedyadventurer-orifhewasputunderwardingforatime，shewouldsoongettheKingtopardonhim-itwasbutwaitingtoletRichard’smoodpassaway。
Thusshecontinuedtalkingthickandfast，andheapingtogetherallsortsofinconsistencies，withthevainexpectationofpersuadingbothEdithandherselfthatnoharmcouldcomeofafrolic，whichinherheartshenowbitterlyrepented。ButwhileEdithinvainstrovetointerceptthistorrentofidletalk，shecaughttheeyeofoneoftheladieswhoenteredtheQueen’sapartment。Therewasdeathinherlookofaffrightandhorror，andEdith，atthefirstglanceofhercountenance，hadsunkatonceontheearth，hadnotstrongnecessity，andherownelevationofcharacter，enabledhertomaintainatleastexternalcomposure。
Madam，’’shesaidtotheQueen，losenotanotherwordinspeaking，butsavelife-if，indeed，’’sheadded，hervoicechokingasshesaidit，lifemayyetbesaved。’’
Itmay-itmay，’’answeredtheLadyCalista。IhavejustheardthathehasbeenbroughtbeforetheKing-itisnotyetover-but，’’sheadded，burstingintoavehementfloodofweeping，inwhichpersonalapprehensionshadsomeshare-itwillsoon-unlesssomecoursebetaken。’’
IwillvowagoldencandlesticktotheHolySepulchre-ashrineofsilvertoourLadyofEngaddi-apall，worthonehundredbezants，toSaintThomasofOrthez，’’saidtheQueeninextremity。
Up，up，madam！’’saidEdith；callonthesaintsifyoulist，butbeyourownbestsaint。’’
Indeed，madam，’’saidtheterrifiedattendant，theladyEdithspeakstruth。Up，madam，andletustoKingRichard’stentandbegthepoorgentleman’slife。’’
Iwillgo-Iwillgoinstantly，’’saidtheQueen，risingandtremblingexcessively；whileherwomen，inasgreatconfusionasherself，wereunabletorenderherthosedutieswhichwereindispensabletoherlevee。Calm，composed，onlypaleasdeath，EdithministeredtotheQueenwithherownhand，andalonesuppliedthedeficienciesofhernumerousattendants。
Howyouwait，wenches！’’saidtheQueen，notableeventhentoforgetfrivolousdistinctions。SufferyetheLadyEdithtodothedutiesofyourattendance？-Seestthou，Edith，theycandonothing-Ishallneverbeattiredintime。WewillsendfortheArchbishopofTyre，andemployhimasamediator。’’
Oh，no，no！’’exclaimedEdith-Goyourself，madam-
youhavedonetheevil，doyouconfertheremedy。’’
Iwillgo-Iwillgo，’’saidtheQueen；butifRichardbeinhismood，Idarenotspeaktohim-hewillkillme！’’
Yetgo，graciousmadam，’’saidtheLadyCalista，whobestknewhermistress’stemper；notalioninhisfurycouldlookuponsuchafaceandform，andretainsomuchasanangrythought-farlessalove-trueknightliketheroyalRichard，towhomyourslightestwordwouldbeacommand。’’
Dostthouthinkso，Calista？’’saidtheQueen。Ah，thoulittleknowest-yetIwillgo-Butseeyouhere-whatmeansthis？Youhavebedizenedmeingreen，acolourhedetests。Loyou！letmehaveabluerobe，and-searchfortherubycarcanet，whichwaspartoftheKingofCyprus’sransom-itiseitherinthesteelcasket，orsomewhereelse。’’
