ny secret which might render his death more
convenient than his banishment."

"Peace with thy scurrile jests!" answered Edith, colouring deeply.
"Think, rather, that for the indulgence of thy mood thou hast lopped
from this great enterprise one goodly limb, deprived the Cross of one of
its most brave supporters, and placed a servant of the true God in the
hands of the heathen; hast given, too, to minds as suspicious as thou
hast shown thine own in this matter, some right to say that Richard
Coeur de Lion banished the bravest soldier in his camp lest his name in
battle might match his own."

"I--I!" exclaimed Richard, now indeed greatly moved--"am I one to be
jealous of renown? I would he were here to profess such an equality! I
would waive my rank and my crown, and meet him, manlike, in the lists,
that it might appear whether Richard Plantagenet had room to fear or to
envy the prowess of mortal man. Come, Edith, thou think'st not as thou
sayest. Let not anger or grief for the absence of thy lover make thee
unjust to thy kinsman, who, notwithstanding all thy techiness, values
thy good report as high as that of any one living."

"The absence of my lover?" said the Lady Edith, "But yes, he may be
well termed my lover, who hath paid so dear for the title. Unworthy as I
might be of such homage, I was to him like a light, leading him forward
in the noble path of chivalry; but that I forgot my rank, or that he
presumed beyond his, is false, were a king to speak it."

"My fair cousin," said Richard, "do not put words in my mouth which I
have not spoken. I said not you had graced this man beyond the favour
which a good knight may earn, even from a princess, whatever be his
native condition. But, by Our Lady, I know something of this
love-gear. It begins with mute respect and distant reverence; but when
opportunities occur, familiarity increases, and so--But it skills not
talking with one who thinks herself wiser than all the world."

"My kinsman's counsels I willingly listen to, when they are such," said
Edith, "as convey no insult to my rank and character."

"Kings, my fair cousin, do not counsel, but rather command," said
Richard.

"Soldans do indeed command," said Edith, "but it is because they have
slaves to govern."

"Come, you might learn to lay aside this scorn of Soldanrie, when you
hold so high of a Scot," said the King. "I hold Saladin to be truer to
his word than this William of Scotland, who must needs be ca