sword now shifted to his left hand
and his right hand outstretched. "One and all, we are but weaklings in
the net of circumstance. Shall one herring, then, blame his fellow if
his fellow jostle him? We walk as in a mist of error, and Belial is
fertile in allurements; yet always it is granted us to behold that sin
is sin. I have perhaps sinned through anger, Messire de Gatinais, more
deeply than you have planned to sin through luxury and through
ambition. Let us then cry quits, Messire de Gatinais, and afterward
part in peace, and in common repentance, if you so elect."

"And yield you Ellinor?" de Gatinais said. "Nay, messire, I reply to
you with Arnaud de Marveil, that marvellous singer of eld, 'They may
bear her from my presence, but they can never untie the knot which
unites my heart to her; for that heart, so tender and so constant, God
alone divides with my lady, and the portion which God possesses He
holds but as a part of her domain, and as her vassal.'"

"This is blasphemy," Prince Edward now retorted, "and for such
observations alone you merit death. Will you always talk and talk and
talk? I perceive that the devil is far more subtle than you, messire,
and leads you like a pig with a ring in his nose toward gross iniquity.
Messire, I tell you that for your soul's health I doubly mean to kill
you now. So let us make an end of this."

De Gatinais turned and took up his sword. "Since you will have it," he
rather regretfully said; "yet I reiterate that you play an absurd part.
Your wife has deserted you, has fled in abhorrence of you. For three
weeks she has been tramping God knows whither or in what company--"

He was here interrupted. "What the Lady Ellinor has done," Prince
Edward crisply said, "was at my request. We were wedded at Burgos; it
was most natural that we should desire our reunion to take place at
Burgos; and she came to Burgos with an escort which I provided."

De Gatinais sneered. "So that is the tale you will deliver to the
world?"

"When I have slain you," the Prince said, "yes. Yes, since she is a
woman, and woman is the weaker vessel."

"The reservation is wise. For once I am dead, Messire Edward, there
will be none to know that you risk all for a drained goblet, for an
orange already squeezed--quite dry, messire."

"Face of God!" the Prince said.

But de Gatinais flung back both arms in a great gesture, so that he
knocked a flask of claret from the table at his rear.