"It is true!" said the girl, with a voice like one speaking out of the
grave itself.

"You hear, William of Douglas!" said the marshal.

"And at Castle Crichton you played the play to the end. With false
cozening words you deceived this young man. You led him on with love
on your lips and hate in your heart. You kissed him with the Judas
kiss. You led his soul captive to death by the drawing of your eyes."

In a voice that could hardly be heard the girl replied, her whole
figure fixed and turned to stone by the intensity of her tormentor's
gaze.

_"I did these things! I am accursed!"_

The ambassador turned with a fleering triumph.

"You hear, William of Douglas," he said, "you hear what your true love
says!"

Then it was that, with the calm air and steady voice of a great
gentleman, William Douglas answered, "I hear, but I do not believe."

A spasm of joy passed over the countenance of the Lady Sybilla. She
half sprang towards her lover as if to clasp him in her arms.

But in the midst, between intent and act, she restrained herself.

"No, I am not worthy," she said. And again, and lower, like a
lamentation, "I am not worthy!"

Then, while all watched eagerly, the marshal rose from his seat to his
full height.

"Girl--look at me!" he cried in a loud and terrible voice. But Sybilla
did not seem to hear him.

She was looking at the Earl, and her eyes were great and grey and
vague.

"Listen, my true lord, and then hate me if you will," she said;
"listen, William of Douglas. Never before have I found in all the
world one man true to the core. I did not believe that such an one
lived. Hear this and then turn from me in loathing.

"For the sake of this man's life, forfeit ten times over" (she
pointed, as she spoke, at the marshal), "to whom, by the powers of
hell, my soul is bound, I came at the bidding of the King of France
and of this man, my master, to compass the destruction of the Earl of
Douglas. Our King's son desired his duchy, and promised to this man
pardon for his evil deeds. I came to satisfy them both. On my guilty
head be the punishment. It is true that I cozened and led you on. It
is true that at Castle Thrieve I deceived you, knowing well that which
would happen. I knew to what you would follow me, and for the sake of
the evil wrought by your fathers, I was glad. But afterwards at
Crichton, when, in the woods by the waterside, I told you that I loved
you, I did not lie. I did love you t