rom his hands.

Then stepped forward a certain Duke, and in the name of all present
made earnest petitions for the prisoners' lives. 'Methinks,' said he,
'that for the safety and honour of our Lord the Admiral 'twere best to
spare the prisoners, whose death would profit him not, whereas by
freeing them on condition that Fleur revealed in what wise he stole into
the Tower, His Highness may discover and punish his unfaithful
servants.'

The Admiral, marking that all his lords were inclined to mercy, agreed
to this Duke's proposal and offered their lives to the captives if Fleur
would but tell how he made his way into the Tower.'

'That, sire, replied Fleur, 'I may only do under promise of pardon to
those who were my helpers.'

'No! no!' cried the Admiral, furious at the thought of further mercy.
'They shall all die, every man among them.'

Then came forward a Bishop, who, falling at the Admiral's feet,
entreated that the gracious mercy of His Highness might be extended to
all concerned; 'for,' said the Lord Bishop, 'it would please the
assembled company better to hear the prisoners' story than to behold
their death.' These words of the Bishop were supported by all the lords,
who with one acclaim called on their King and Admiral to pardon the
prisoners at the prayer of his faithful subjects. So the Admiral gave
ear to the prayer of his lords and pardoned the lovers and all and
sundry who were their helpers, and when this was done Fleur arose and
told the whole sweet and touching story of Blanchefleur and himself from
the time of their birth up to the moment when they were found together
in the Tower, and when his tale was told Fleur knelt down before the
Admiral and entreated His Highness with tears for the gift of
Blanchefleur, for whose sake he had done and suffered so great things;
seeing, moreover, that without her he could not live, nor indeed could
she, if torn from him, find life endurable.

Then the Admiral took Fleur by the hand, and kissing him bade him sit
by his side as beseemed the son of a king, and taking Blanchefleur also
by the hand His Highness said to Fleur: 'Friend, herewith I give and
grant to you the maiden Blanchefleur, together with pardon full and free
of all offence committed by you against my kingly power and majesty.'

[Illustration]

Overcome with joy and gratitude, those lovers sank at the feet of their
benefactor, who raised and kissed them, and after that he made Fleur a
knight acc