ght the girl up in his arms, lifted her
off her feet, smothered her cry. 'My Jehane, my Jehane, who dares--?'
Gilles touched him on the shoulder, and he turned like lightning with
Jehane held fast. His breath came quick and short through his nose:
Gilles believed his last hour at hand, but made the most of it.

'What now, dog?' thus the lean Richard.

'Set down the lady, my lord,' said doughty Gilles. 'She is promised to
me.'

'Heart of God, what is this?' He held back his head, like a snake, that
he might see what he would strike at. 'Is it true, girl?' Jehane looked
up from his shoulder, where she had been hiding her face. She could not
speak, but she nodded.

'It is true? Thou art promised?'

'I am promised, my lord,' said Jehane. 'Let me go.'

He put her down at once, between himself and Gurdun. Gurdun went to take
up her hand again, but at a look from Richard forbore. The Count went on
with his interrogatories, outwardly as calm as a field of snow.

'In whose name art thou promised to this knight, Jehane? In thy
brother's?'

'No, lord. In my own.'

'Am I nothing?' She began to cry.

'Oh, oh!' she wailed, 'You are everything, everything in the world.'

He turned away from her, and stood facing the altar, with folded arms,
considering. Gilles had the wit to be silent; the girl fought for
breath. Richard, in fact, was touched to the heart, and capable of any
sacrifice which could seem the equivalent of this. He must always lead,
even in magnanimity; but it was a better thing than emulation moved him
now. When he next turned with a calm, true face to Jehane there was not
a shred of the Angevin in him; all was burnt away.

'What is the name of this knight, Jehane?' She told him, Gilles de
Gurdun.

Then he said, 'Come hither, De Gurdun,' and Gilles knelt down before the
son of his overlord. Jehane would have knelt to him too, but that he
held her by the hand and would not suffer it.

'Now, Gilles, listen to what I shall tell you,' said Richard. 'There is
no lady in the world more noble than this one, and no man living who
means more faithfully by her than I. I will do her will this day, and
that speedily, lest the devil be served. Are you a true man, Gilles?'

'Lord,' said Gurdun, 'I try to be so. Your father made me a knight. I
have loved this lady since she was twelve years old.'

'Are you a man of substance, my friend?'

'We have a good fief, my lord. My father holds of the Church of Rouen,
and t