ispered, eager and breathless, "show
me a little mercy. For that, to be thy Duchess, I denied thee thy
desire in the past, let me now be prisoned all my days, an it be thy
will--but give me not to the fire--ah, God--not the fire! Pity--pity
me for what I did for thee--be merciful--"

"Did, wench--did?" quoth the Duke, gently. "Now when spake I with witch
ere this? 'Tis true there was a lady--something of thy seeming--who, to
gain much, promised much, and--achieved me nothing. So now do I know
thee far one Mellent, a notable witch, that shall this day instead of
ducal crown, wear crown of flame. Alack!--and so, farewell!"

Thus speaking, my lord Duke rode on up the lists, where stood certain
noble lords to hold his stirrup and aid him to earth; so mounted he to
his place 'neath broidered canopy, and many a fair cheek blanched, and
many a stout knight faltered in his speech, beholding that slow-creeping,
stealthy smile and the twitch of those thin nostrils.

Now once again the trumpet blew, and a herald stepped forth:

"God save ye, lord Duke," he cried, "ye noble lords and ladies fair--
good people all, God save ye. Know that before you here assembled, hath
been brought one Mellent--that hath been denounced a notable witch and
sorceress, who, by her fiendish arts and by the aid of demons foul and
damned, doth seek the hurt of our lord the Duke, whom God and the
saints defend. Forasmuch as this witch, yclept Mellent, did, by her
unhallowed spells and magic, compass and bring about the escape from
close duress of one Beltane, a notable outlaw, malefactor and enemy to
our lord the Duke; and whereas she did also by aid of charms,
incantations and the like devilish practices, contrive the sack,
burning and total destruction of my lord Duke's good and fair castle of
Garthlaxton upon the March. Now therefore it is adjudged that she be
taken and her body burned to ashes here before you. All of which
charges have been set forth and sworn to by this right noble lord and
gallant knight Sir Gilles of Brandonmere--behold him here in person."

Hereupon, while the trumpets brayed a flourish and fanfare, forth rode
Sir Gilles upon a mighty charger, a grim and warlike figure in his
shining mail and blazoned surcoat, his ponderous, crested war-helm
closed, his long shield covering him from shoulder to stirrup, and his
lance-point twinkling on high.

Then spake again the herald loud and clear: "Good people all, behold
Sir Gilles of B