d
blows enough. My chains will be off before sunrise, and yours are off
already. Answer me, is Gurdun dead?'

Saint-Pol dropped to his knees. 'Oh, my lord, he died where he fell. But
as God knows, he had no hand in this, nor had I.'

'If I know it, I suppose God knows it too,' said Richard, smiling rather
thinly. 'Now, Eustace, I have a word to say. I have done much against
your name; to your brother because he spoke against a great lady and ill
of my house; to your sister here, because I loved her not well enough
and myself too well. Eustace, you shall kiss her before I go.'

Saint-Pol got up and went to her. Brother and sister kissed each other
above the King's head. Then said Richard, 'Now I will tell you that I
had nothing to do with the death of your cousin Montferrat.'

'Oh, sire! oh, sire!' cried Saint-Pol; but Jehane looked at her brother.

'I had to do with that, Eustace,' she said. 'He laid the death of the
King, and I laid his death at the price of my marriage. He deserved it.'

'Sister,' said Saint-Pol, 'he did deserve it; and I deserve what he had.
Oh, sire,' he urged with tears, 'take my life, as your right is, but
forgive me first.'

'What have I to forgive you, brother?' said Richard. 'Come, kiss me. We
were good friends in the old days.' Saint-Pol, with tears, kissed him.
Richard sat up.

'I require you now, Saint-Pol and Des Barres, that between you you
defend my son Fulke. Milo has the deeds of his lands of Cuigny. Bring
him up a good knight, and let him think gentlier of his father than that
father ever did of his. Will you do this? Make haste, make haste!'

The Queen broke in with a cry. 'Oh, sire! oh, sire! Is there nothing for
me? Madame!' she turned to Jehane and held her fast by the knees, 'have
pity, spare me a little, a very little work! O Christ! O Christ!'--she
rocked herself about--'Can I do nothing in the world for my King?'

Jehane stooped to take her up. 'Madame, watch over my little Fulke, when
his father is gone, and I am gone.' The Queen was crying bitterly.

'I will never leave him if you will trust me,' she began to say. Richard
put his band out. 'Let it be so. My lords, serve the Queen and me in
this matter.' The two lords bowed their heads, and the Queen tumbled to
her sobbed prayers again.

The King's eyes were almost gone; certainly he could not see out of
them. They understood his moving lips, 'A sponge, quick.'

Jehane brought it and wiped his mouth; she could no