n,
for it is writ in French?"

"Give it me," said the King. "Philippa, come help me with this crabbed
stuff."

Then they withdrew to the side of the dais, and, standing under a
lantern, spelled out Sir Edmund Acour's letter to the Duke of Normandy,
word by word.

The King finished the letter, and, still holding it in his hand, stood
for a minute silent. Then his rage broke out.

"'He of England,'" he quoted. "That's your husband, Edward, Lady, who is
to be overthrown and killed 'that Philip's son may take his seat and be
crowned King at Westminster,' which God is to bring about before this
year is out. Yes; and my cities are to be sacked and my people slain,
and this French dog, Edmund Acour, who has sworn fealty to me, is to be
rewarded with wide English lands and high English titles. Well, by God's
blood I swear that, dead or living, he shall be lifted higher than he
hopes, though not by Normandy or my brother of France! Let me think! Let
me think! If I send men-at-arms he'll hear of it and slip away. Did not
good old Sir Andrew call him a snake? Now, where's this girl, Red Eve?"

"In sanctuary, Sire, at the Temple Church in Dunwich," answered Hugh.

"Ah, and she's a great heiress now, for you killed her brother, and
Acour, although he has wide possessions in sundry lands, was ever a
spendthrift and deep in debt. No, he'll not leave unless he can get
the girl; and old Sir Andrew will guard her well with the power of
the Church, and with his own right arm if need be, for he's still more
knight than priest. So there's no hurry. Tell me all you know of this
story, Hugh de Cressi, omitting nothing, however small. Nay, have no
fear, if you can vouch for your fellow there, all of us in this chamber
are loyal to England. Speak out, man."

So Hugh began and told of the de Cressis and the Claverings and their
feud, and of how he and Eve had always loved each other. He told of
their meeting in the reeds of Blythburgh Fen, and of the death of John
de Clavering at his hand and of the others at the hand of Grey Dick, and
of the escape of Acour from the fourth arrow. He told how he and Eve
had swum the Blyth in flood though the ice cut them, and hid on the
moor while Grey Dick led the Claverings astray, and came at last safe to
sanctuary. He told how Acour's letter had been won from his messenger
by Sir Andrew's loyal guile. He told of the penance that Sir Andrew had
laid upon them because of the new-shed blood of John Clav