much agitated at
the thoughts of the investigation which was to take place; "and besides,
if I had presence of mind enough to forge a plausible story, beshrew me
if I think I should have the courage to tell it."

In this candid humour, the Lady Calista was conducted by De Vaux to the
King, and made, as she had proposed, a full confession of the decoy by
which the unfortunate Knight of the Leopard had been induced to desert
his post; exculpating the Lady Edith, who, she was aware, would not
fail to exculpate herself, and laying the full burden on the Queen, her
mistress, whose share of the frolic, she well knew, would appear the
most venial in the eyes of Coeur de Lion. In truth, Richard was a fond,
almost a uxorious husband. The first burst of his wrath had long since
passed away, and he was not disposed severely to censure what could
not now be amended. The wily Lady Calista, accustomed from her earliest
childhood to fathom the intrigues of a court, and watch the indications
of a sovereign's will, hastened back to the Queen with the speed of
a lapwing, charged with the King's commands that she should expect
a speedy visit from him; to which the bower-lady added a commentary
founded on her own observation, tending to show that Richard meant just
to preserve so much severity as might bring his royal consort to repent
of her frolic, and then to extend to her and all concerned his gracious
pardon.

"Sits the wind in that corner, wench?" said the Queen, much relieved by
this intelligence. "Believe me that, great commander as he is, Richard
will find it hard to circumvent us in this matter, and that, as the
Pyrenean shepherds are wont to say in my native Navarre, Many a one
comes for wool, and goes back shorn."

Having possessed herself of all the information which Calista could
communicate, the royal Berengaria arrayed herself in her most becoming
dress, and awaited with confidence the arrival of the heroic Richard.

He arrived, and found himself in the situation of a prince entering an
offending province, in the confidence that his business will only be to
inflict rebuke, and receive submission, when he unexpectedly finds it in
a state of complete defiance and insurrection. Berengaria well knew
the power of her charms and the extent of Richard's affection, and
felt assured that she could make her own terms good, now that the first
tremendous explosion of his anger had expended itself without mischief.
Far from listeni