or me, Alice,
for now no earthly power stands between me and my kinsmen's will.'

Alice cried aloud, 'Nay, nay, lady, we are English still. There are my
father; my lord, the Duke of Bedford; they will not suffer any wrong to
be done.'

'Hush, Alice. None of them hath any power to aid me. Even good King
Henry had no legal power to protect me; only he was so great, so strong
in word or deed, that no man durst do before him what he declared a shame
and a sin. Now it will be expedient more than ever that nothing be done
by the English to risk offending the Duke of Burgundy. None will dare
withhold me; none ought to dare, for they act not for themselves, but for
their infant charge; and my countess is weary of me. There is nothing to
prevent my uncles from taking me away with them; or--'

'Nothing!' cried Alice. 'It cannot be! Oh, that my father were here!'

'He could do nothing for me.'

'A convent!'

'No convent here could keep me against the Bishop of Therouenne.'

Alice wrung her hands. 'Oh, it cannot--shall not be!'

'No, Alice, I do not believe it will be. I have that confidence in Him
to whom I have given myself, that I do not believe He will permit me to
be snatched from Him, so long as my will does not consent.' Esclairmonde
faltered a moment, as she remembered her wavering, crossed her hands on
her breast, and ejaculated, 'May He deal mercifully with me! Yet it may
be at an exceeding cost--at that of all my cherished schemes, of all that
was pride and self-seeking. Alice, look not so terrified. Nothing can
be done immediately, or with violence, in this first mourning for the
King; and I trust to make use of the time to disguise me, and escape to
England, where I may keep my vow as anchoress, or as lay sister. Let me
keep that, and my self-exalting schemes shall be all put by!'

The question whether this should be to England, or to the southern parts
of France held by the Armagnacs, remained for decision, as opportunity
should direct: Alice constantly urging her own scheme of carrying her
friend with her as her tire-woman, if, as seemed likely, she were sent
home; and Esclairmonde refusing to consent to anything that might bring
the bride into troubles with her father and husband; and the debates
being only interrupted when the Lady Montagu was required to take her
turn among the weary ladies-in-waiting around Catherine's state bed.

Whenever she was not required to control, console, or pers