the Knight, "it is I."

Wroth with her own poor heart because it thrilled at his voice, the
Prioress spoke with anger.

"How did you dare to force your way into this sacred cloister?"

The Knight smiled. "I have yet to find the thing I dare not do."

"Why are you not with your wife?" demanded the Prioress; and her tone
was terrible.

"I am with my wife," replied the Knight. "The only wife I have ever
wanted, the only woman I shall ever wed, is here."

"Coward!" cried the Prioress, white with anger. "Traitor!" She leaned
forward, clenching her hands upon the lions' heads. "Liar! You wedded
your cousin, Alfrida, less than one year after you went from me."

"Cease to be angry," said the Knight. "Thine anger affrights me not,
yet it hurts thyself. Listen, mine own beloved, and I will tell thee
the cruel, and yet blessed, truth.

"Seven months after I left thee, a messenger reached our camp, bearing
letters from England; no word for me from thee; but a long missive from
thy half-sister Eleanor, breaking to me the news that, being weary of
my absence, and somewhat over-persuaded, thou hadst wedded Humphry;
Earl of Carnforth.

"It was no news to me, that Humphry sought to win thee; but, that thou
hadst let thyself be won away from thy vow to me, was hell's own
tidings.

"In my first rage of grief I would have speech with none. But,
by-and-by, I sought the messenger, and asked him casually of things at
home. He told me he had seen thy splendid nuptials with the lord of
Carnforth, had been present at the marriage, and joined in the after
revels and festivities. He said thou didst make a lovely bride, but
somewhat sad, as if thy mind strayed elsewhere. The fellow was a kind
of lawyer's clerk, but lean, and out at elbow.

"Then I sought 'Frida, my cousin. She too had had a letter, giving the
news. She told me she long had feared this thing for me, knowing the
heart of Humphry to be set on winning thee, and that Eleanor approved
his suit, and having already heard that of late thou hadst inclined to
smile on him. She begged me to do nothing rash or hasty.

"'What good were it,' she said, 'to beg the King for leave to hasten
home? If you kill Humphry, Hugh, you do but make a widow of the woman
you have loved; nor could you wed the widow of a man yourself had
slain. If Humphry kills you--well, a valiant arm is lost to the Holy
Cause, and other hearts, more faithful than hers, may come nigh to
breaking.