in France, if I know Richard;
but mark what I say, after that there shall be war in England.' The
thought of Richard overwhelmed him: he gave a queer little sigh. 'See,
now, how much love and what lives of women are spent for one tall man,
who gives nothing, and asks nothing, but waits, looking lordly, while
they give and give and give. Let Richard come, since women cry for
wounds. But you!' He flamed again. 'Get you to hell: you are all a liar.
Avoid me, lest I learn more of you.'

'Dear sire,' John began. Philip loathed him. 'Ah, get you gone, snake,
or I tread upon you,' he said; and the prince avoided. So much was
wrought by Alois of France.

* * * * *

No visitation of a dead woman could have shocked Queen Berengere more
suddenly than the apparition of a tall nun, when she saw it was Jehane.
She put her hand upon her heart.

'Ah,' she said, 'you trouble me again, Jehane? Am I never to rest from
you?'

jehane did not falter. 'Do I have any rest? The King is chained in
Styria; he must be redeemed. It is your turn. I saved his life for you
once by selling my own. Now I am the wife of an old man, with nothing
more to sell. Do you sell something.'

'Sell? Sell? What can I sell that he will buy?' whined Berengere. 'He
loves me not.'

'Well,' said Jehane, 'what has that to do with it? Do you not love
him?'

'I am his miserable wife. I have nothing to sell.

'Sell your pride, Berengere,' says Jehane. Berengere bit her lip.

'You speak strangely to me, woman.'

Says Jehane, 'I am grown strange. Once I was a girl dishonoured because
I loved. Now I am a wife greatly honoured because I do not love.'

'You do not love your husband?'

'How should I,' said Jehane, 'when I love yours? But I honour my
husband, and watch over his honour: he is good to me.'

'You dare to tell me that you love the King? Ah, you have been with him
again!' Jehane looked critically at her.

'I have not seen him, nor ever shall till he is dead. But we must save
him, you and I, Berengere.'

Berengere, the little toy woman, when she saw how noble the other stood,
and how inflexible, came wheedling to her, with hands to touch her chin.

'Jehane, sister, let it be my part to save Richard. Indeed I love him.
You have done so much, to you now he should be nothing. Let me do it,
let me do it, please, Jehane!' So she stroked and coaxed. The tall nun
smiled.

'Must I always be giving, and my well never be dry?