business of your captivity,
wherein a clean man might scarcely dare to meddle."

She appraised this, and more lately said with entire irrelevance: "The
world has smirched you, somehow. At last you have done something save
consider your ill-treatment. I praise God, Antoine, for it brings you
nearer."

He told her all. King Henry, it appeared, had dealt with him at
Havering in perfect frankness. The King needed money for his wars in
France, and failing the seizure of Jehane's enormous wealth, had
exhausted every resource. "And France I mean to have," the King said.
"Yet the world knows you enjoy the favor of the Comte de Charolais; so
get me an alliance with Burgundy against my imbecile brother of France,
and Dame Jehane shall repossess her liberty. There you have my price."

"And this price I paid," the Vicomte sternly said, "for 'Unhardy is
unseely,' Satan whispered, and I knew that Duke Philippe trusted me.
Yea, all Burgundy I marshalled under your stepson's banner, and for
three years I fought beneath his loathed banner, until in Troyes we had
trapped and slain the last loyal Frenchman. And to-day in France my
lands are confiscate, and there is not an honest Frenchman but spits
upon my name. All infamy I come to you for this last time, Jehane! as
a man already dead I come to you, Jehane, for in France they thirst to
murder me, and England has no further need of Montbrison, her blunted
and her filthy instrument!"

The woman shuddered. "You have set my thankless service above your
life, above your honor even. I find the rhymester glorious and very
vile."

"All vile," he answered; "and outworn! King's daughter, I swore to
you, long since, eternal service. Of love I freely gave you yonder in
Navarre, as yonder at Eltham I crucified my innermost heart for your
delectation. Yet I, at least, keep faith, and in your face I fling
faith like a glove--outworn, it may be, and, God knows, unclean! Yet
I, at least, keep faith! Lands and wealth have I given up for you, O
king's daughter, and life itself have I given you, and lifelong service
have I given you, and all that I had save honor; and at the last I give
you honor, too. Now let the naked fool depart, Jehane, for he has
nothing more to give."

She had leaned, while thus he spoke, upon the sill of an open casement.
"Indeed, it had been far better," she said, and with averted face, "had
we never met. For this love of ours has proven a tyrannous and evil