Gilbert sprang forward, when he understood, and caught the
girl in his arms and brought her to the light, trembling like a falling
leaf. Then she started in his arms and struggled wildly to be free, and
twisted her neck lest he should kiss her; but he held her fast.
"Beatrix! You do not understand--you did not hear!" He tried to make
her listen to him.
"I heard!" she cried, still struggling. "I saw! I know! Let me go--oh,
for God's sake, let me go!"
Gilbert's arms relaxed, and she sprang back from him two paces, and
faced the Queen.
"You have won!" she cried, in a breaking voice. "You have him body and
soul, as you swore you would! But do not say that I have not
understood!"
"I have given him to you, soul and body," answered Eleanor, sadly.
"Might I not even bid him good-by, as a friend might?"
"You are false--falser each than the other," answered Beatrix, in white
anger. "You have played with me, tricked me, made me your toy--"
"Did you hear this man say that he did not love me, before I bade him
good-by?" asked Eleanor, gravely, almost sternly.
"He has said it to me, but not to you, never to you--never to the
woman he loves!"
"I never loved the Queen," said Gilbert. "On my soul--on the Holy
Cross--"
"Never loved her? And you saved her life before mine--"
"And you said that I did well--"
"It was all a lie--a cruel lie--" The girl's voice almost broke, but
she choked down the terrible tears, and got words again. "It would have
been braver to have told me long ago--I should not have died then, for
I loved you less.
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