e.' He meant his marriage.

Little Madame Berengere was lodged, as became her, in the Emperor's
palace at Limasol, having with her Queen Joan of Sicily, and among her
women the young fair lady Jehane, none too fair, poor girl, by this
time. Berengere herself, who was not very intelligent, remarked her, and
gave her the cold shoulder. As day swallowed up day, and Richard, at his
affairs, gave her no thought, or at least no sign, Jehane's condition
became an abominable eyesore to the Queendesignate; so Queen Joan
plucked up her courage age to the point, and seeking out her brother,
let him know that she had tidings for his private ear.

'I do not admit that I have such an ear,' said Richard. It is no part of
a king's baggage. Yet by all means name your tidings, my sister.'

'Dear sire,' said Joan, 'it appears that you have sown a seed, and must
look before long for the harvest.' The King laughed.

'God knows, I have sown enough seeds. But mostly they come up tares, I
am apt to find. My harvesting is of little worth. What now, sister?'

'Beau sire,' says the Queen, I know not how you will take it. Your
bonamy, the Picardy lady, is with child, and not so far from her time
neither. My sister Berengere is greatly offended.'

King Richard began to tremble; but whether from the ague which was never
long out of him, or from joy, or from trouble, who knows?

'Oh, sister,' he said, 'Oh, sister, are you very sure of this?

'I was sure of it,' replied the lady, 'the moment I saw her in the
autumn at Messina. But now your question is not worth the asking.'

The King abruptly left his sister and went over to the Queen's side of
the palace. Berengere was sitting upon a balcony, all her ladies with
her; but Jehane a little apart. When the King was announced all rose to
their feet. He looked neither right nor left of him, but fixedly at
Jehane, with a high bright flush upon his sharp face and fever sparks in
his eyes. To these signals Jehane, because of her great exaltation, flew
the answering flags. Richard touched Berengere's hand with the hair on
his lip: to Jehane he said, 'Come, ma mye,' and led her out of the
balcony.

This was not as it should have been; but Richard, used to his way, took
it, and Richard moved could move bigger mountains than those of
ceremony. He lunged forward along the corridors, Jehane following as she
might, led by the hand, but not against her will. No doubt she was with
child, no doubt she was glo