I never asked you. My tongue is free, at any rate. You
can go."

And the Countess turned back to the black satin on which she was
embroidering a wreath of red and white roses.

"Follow me, Amphillis," said Lady Foljambe, with as much dignity as the
Countess's onslaught had left her.

She led the way into the opposite chamber, the one shared by Perrote and
Amphillis.

"It were best, as this hath happed, that you should know quickly who
this lady is that wotteth not how to govern her tongue. She is the
Duchess of Brittany. Heard you ever her story?"

"Something, Dame, an' it please you; yet not fully told. I heard, as I
think, of some quarrel betwixt her and a cousin touching the succession
to the duchy, and that our King had holpen her, and gave his daughter in
wedlock to the young Duke her son."

"So did he, in very deed; and yet is she thus unbuxom. Listen, and you
shall hear the inwards thereof. In the year of our Lord 1341 died Duke
John of Brittany, that was called the Good, and left no child. Two
brothers had he--Sir Guy, that was his brother both of father and
mother, and Sir John, of the father only, that was called Count de
Montfort. Sir Guy was then dead, but had left behind him a daughter,
the Lady Joan, that man called Joan the Halting, by reason she was lame
of one leg. Between her and her uncle of Montfort was the war of
succession--she as daughter of the brother by father and mother, he as
nearer akin to Duke John, being brother himself. [Note 1.] Our King
took part with the Count de Montfort, and the King of France espoused
the cause of the Lady Joan."

Lady Foljambe did not think it necessary to add that King Edward's
policy had been of the most halting character in this matter--at one
time fighting for Jeanne, and at another for Montfort, until his nobles
might well have been pardoned, if they found it difficult to remember at
any given moment on which side their master was.

"Well, the King of France took the Count, and led him away captive to
Paris his city. Whereupon this lady, that is now here in ward, what did
she but took in her arms her young son, that was then a babe of some few
months old, and into the Council at Rennes she went--which city is the
chief town of Brittany--and quoth she unto the nobles there assembled,
`Fair Sirs, be not cast down by the loss of my lord; he was but one man.
See here his young son, who shall 'present him for you; and trust me,
we will keep