hall warm us a'--
Then shall my luve prove true to me!"

_Old Ballad_.

It was the evening of the third day succeeding Isabel's visit, and while
she and Avice were seated in the banquet-hall with the Governor and his
family, the scene lit up by blazing pine torches, a single earthen lamp
threw a dull and unsteady light over the silent bedchamber of the royal
prisoner. The little Alianora was asleep in her cradle, and on the bed
lay her mother, not asleep, but as still and silent as though she were.
Near the cradle, on a settle, sat Maude Lyngern, trying with rather
doubtful success to read by the flickering light.

Custance had not quitted her bed during all that time. She never spoke
but to express a want or reply to a question. When Maude brought her
food, she submitted to be fed like an infant. Of what thoughts were
passing in her mind, she gave no indication.

At last Maude came to the conclusion that the spell of silence ought to
be broken. The passionate utterances which Isabel's news had evoked at
first were better than this dead level of silent suffering. But she
determined to break it by no arguments or consolations of her own, but
by the inspired words of God. She felt doubtful what to select; so she
chose a passage which, half knowing it by heart, would be the easier to
make out in the uncertain light.

"`And oon of the Farisees preiede [prayed] Jhesus that he schulde ete
with him; and he entride into the hous of the Farisee, and sat at the
mete. And lo, a synful woman that was in the cytee, as sche knewe that
Jhesus sat at the mete in the hous of the Farisee, she broughte an
alabastre box of oynement, and sche stood bihynde bisidis hise feet, and
bigan to moiste hise feet with teeris, and wypide with the heeris of hir
heed, and kiste hise feet, and anoyntide with oynement. And the Farisee
seyng [seeing] that had clepide him seide within himsilf, seiyinge, if
this were a profete, he schulde wete who and what maner womman it were
that touchide him, for sche is a synful womman. And Jhesus answerde and
seide to him, Symount, I han sum thing to seye to thee. And he seide,
Maistir, seye thou. And he answerde, Tweye dettouris weren to oo lener
[one lender]; and oon oughte fyve hundrid pens [pence] and the tother
fifty. But whanne thei hadden not wherof thei schulen yelde, [yield,
pay] he forgaf to bothe. Who thanne loueth him more? Symount answerde
and seide, I gesse that he to whom he forga