Responding to the call of their King and Admiral, these lords with one
consent passed sentence of death upon the prisoners, though differing
among themselves as to the execution of the same. Some were for hanging,
others for the bow-string, while others again proposed that the culprits
should be torn asunder by wild horses; most, however, were in favour of
burning, or perhaps drowning with a heavy stone round the neck: on one
point, however, all agreed--viz. that the guilty pair must die.

Then arose a certain king, Aliers by name, and thus spoke. 'It is a
shame and disgrace,' said he, 'to hear in a royal court such babel of
voices, each crying for a different opinion. Be so good, my lords, as to
depute one among you to speak for all. Moreover, having now heard the
accusation of His Highness, it is but just to listen to the prisoners'
defence.'

'Not so,' cried Basier, King of Arabia, 'not so, my lords. If these
prisoners have betrayed our Lord the Admiral, let them die unheard, like
thieves caught in the act and punished red-handed without form of
trial.'

The Admiral now commanded the prisoners to be produced, who when they
appeared were very sad, regarding each other with tender pity.

'My Lord,' said Fleur to the Admiral, 'being guilty I am prepared to
die, but spare my Blanchefleur, for she is innocent, seeing that without
her knowledge I came within your Tower.'

'My Lord,' cried Blanchefleur, 'the guilt is mine, for had I not been in
your Tower never would Fleur have sought to enter it. Moreover, it were
shame that a king's son should die for me, who am but the daughter of
his handmaid.'

'Not so, my Lord,' cried Fleur again; 'let me die, that Blanchefleur may
live.'

'Be easy,' said the Admiral, 'for with my own hand I will slay you
both.' So saying, he made for the prisoners with his drawn sword,
whereupon Blanchefleur sprang forward and offered her neck for the blow,
but was dragged back by Fleur, who with indignant tears exclaimed:
'What! Shall I, to my shame, suffer you, a woman, to die for me, who am
a man, before the eyes of this great assembly?' And so saying, Fleur
extended his neck instead for the death-blow, but Blanchefleur in turn
pulled him back by his clothes and ran in before him, holding out her
neck. Thus for some time these lovers strove, each seeking to die before
the other, until for pity the lords began to weep, and even the Admiral,
feeling his heart relent, let the sword drop f