Good-by, Sir Gilbert Warde--Beatrix, good-by."
"This is some comedy," answered the girl, exasperated.
"No--by the living truth, it is no comedy," answered the Queen.
She looked once more into Gilbert's face, and then turned away, stately
and sad. With one movement she drew aside the great curtain, and with
the next she opened wide the door, and the loud clamour of the knights
and men-at-arms came in like a wave. Then it ceased suddenly, as
Eleanor spoke to them in clear tones.
"I am the King's prisoner. Take me to him!"
There was silence for a moment, and then the Gascons who had fought
with the King and his men cried out fiercely.
"We will not let you go! We will not let our Duchess go!"
They feared some evil for her, and were loyal men to her, hating the
King. But Eleanor raised her hand to motion them back, for their faces
were fierce, and their hands were on their swords.
"Make way for me, if you will not take me to him," she said proudly.
Then Sanzay, her kinsman, stepped before the rest, and spoke.
"Madam," he said, "the Duchess of Gascony cannot be prisoner to the
King of France, while there are Gascons. If your Grace will go to the
King, we will go also, and we shall see who is to be a prisoner."
At this there was a great shout that rang up to the vault of the lofty
vestibule, and down the stone steps and out into the courtyard. Eleanor
smiled serenely, for she knew her men.
"Go with me, then," she said, "and see that no bodily harm comes to me.
Pages:
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351