lenuskie; and he soon found
that these terms would be as acceptable to the Duke as they had already
proved to her guardian, Monseigneur de Therouenne. Money was nothing to
Philippe; but his policy was to absorb the little seignoralties that lay
so thick in these border lands of the Empire; and what he desired above
all, was to keep them from either passing into the hands of the Church,
or from consolidating into some powerful principality, as would have been
the case had Esclairmonde either entered a convent or married young
Waleran de Luxemburg, her cousin. Therefore he had striven to force on
her his half-brother, who would certainly never unite any inheritance to
hers; but he much preferred the purchase of her Hainault lands; and had
no compunction in throwing over Boemond, except for a certain lurking
desire that the lady's contumacy should be chastised by a lord who would
beat her well into subjection. He would willingly have made a great show
of generosity, and have laid James under an obligation; and yet by the
King's dignified tone of courtesy he was always reduced to the air of one
soliciting rather than conferring a favour.

Finally, Malcolm was called in, and presented to the Duke, making his own
promise on his word of honour as a prince, and giving a written bond,
that so soon as he obtained the hand of the Demoiselle de Luxemburg he
would resign her Hainault estates to the Duke of Burgundy for a sum of
money, to be fixed by persons chosen for the purpose.

This was more like earnest than anything Malcolm had yet obtained; and he
went home exulting and exalted, his doubts as to Esclairmonde's consent
almost silenced, when he counted up the forces that were about to bear
upon her.

And they did descend upon her. Countess Jaqueline had been joined by
other and more congenial Flemish dames, and was weary of her grave
monitress; and she continually scolded at Esclairmonde for perverseness
and obstinacy in not accepting the only male thing she had ever favoured.
The Bishop of Therouenne threatened and argued; and the Duke of Burgundy
himself came to enforce his commands to his refractory vassal, and on
finding her still unsubmissive, flew into a rage, and rated her as few
_could_ have done, save Philippe, called the Good.

All she attempted to answer was, that they were welcome to her lands, so
they would leave her person free; her vows were not to man, but to God,
and God would protect her.

It was an a