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，andifherdueshareofadmirationandhomageinheropinionaverylargeonewasdulyresignedtoher，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，asdeformedandascrazytheexcellenceofthatunhappyspeciesasanyQueencouldhavedesired。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。’’