ld out her right hand; he took it in his, and continued:

"By the Catholic faith which my Christian parents have taught me; or, if
that is not as pure and perfect as it ought, then, by that held by the
Roman pontiff, and which in my heart I confess, believe, and hold, do I
swear, and by the true God who hears us, I promise you, Isabella, soul
of my soul! to be your husband; and your husband I am from this moment,
if you will raise me up so high."

Isabella could only kiss Richard's hand again and again, and tell him in
a voice broken by her tears, that she accepted him as hers, and gave
herself to him as his slave. Richard kissed her disfigured face, which
he had never ventured to kiss in its beauty; and her parents, with tears
of affection, ratified their solemn betrothal. Richard told them that he
would find a way to postpone his marriage with the Scotch lady, and that
when his father proposed to send them to Spain they were not to refuse,
but were to go to Cadiz and wait for him there or in Seville for two
years, within which time he gave them his word he would be with them, if
God spared his life. Should he not appear within that time, they might
be assured that he was prevented by some insuperable impediment, and
most probably by death. Isabella replied that she would wait for him not
only two years, but all the years of her life, until she knew that he
was no longer alive; for the moment that brought her that news would be
her last.

Richard having at length quitted Isabella, went and told his parents
that on no account would he marry the Scotch lady until he had first
been to Rome for the satisfaction of his conscience; and he represented
the matter in such a light to them and to the relations of Clesterna
(that was the name of the Scotch lady), that as they were all Catholics,
they easily assented, and Clesterna was content to remain in her
father-in-law's house until the return of Richard, who proposed to be
away a year. This being settled, Clotald told his son of his intention
to send Isabella and her parents to Spain, if the queen gave them leave;
perhaps her native air would confirm and expedite her incipient
recovery. Richard, to avoid betraying his secret intentions, desired
his father, with seeming indifference, to do as he thought best; only he
begged him not to take away from Isabella any of the presents which the
queen had given her. Clotald promised this, and the same day he went and
asked the queen