I was well disposed bedward when I had your Majesty's commands to attend you." "I will not long delay you, cousin, from your repose," said the Queen, "though I fear you will sleep less soundly when I tell you your wager is lost." "Nay, royal madam," said Edith, "this, surely, is dwelling on a jest which has rather been worn out, I laid no wager, however it was your Majesty's pleasure to suppose, or to insist, that I did so." "Nay, now, despite our pilgrimage, Satan is strong with you, my gentle cousin, and prompts thee to leasing.

Can you deny that you gaged your ruby ring against my golden bracelet that yonder Knight of the Libbard, or how call you him, could not be seduced from his post ?" "Your Majesty is too great for me to gainsay you," replied Edith, "but these ladies can, if they will, bear me witness that it was your Highness who proposed such a wager, and took the ring from my finger, even while I was declaring that I did not think it maidenly to gage anything on such a subject." "Nay, but, my Lady Edith," said another voice, "you must needs grant, under your favour, that you expressed yourself very confident of the valour of that same Knight of the Leopard." "And if I did, minion," said Edith angrily, "is that a good reason why thou shouldst put in thy word to flatter her Majesty's humour?
I spoke of that knight but as all men speak who have seen him in the field, and had no more interest in defending than thou in detracting from him.

In a camp, what can women speak of save soldiers and deeds of arms ?" "The noble Lady Edith," said a third voice, "hath never forgiven Calista and me, since we told your Majesty that she dropped two rosebuds in the chapel." "If your Majesty," said Edith, in a tone which Sir Kenneth could judge to be that of respectful remonstrance, "have no other commands for me than to hear the gibes of your waiting-women, I must crave your permission to withdraw." "Silence, Florise," said the Queen, "and let not our indulgence lead you to forget the difference betwixt yourself and the kinswoman of England .-- But you, my dear cousin," she continued, resuming her tone of raillery, "how can you, who are so good-natured, begrudge us poor wretches a few minutes' laughing, when we have had so many days devoted to weeping and gnashing of teeth ?" "Great be your mirth, royal lady," said Edith; "yet would I be content not to smile for the rest of my life, rather than--" She stopped, apparently out of respect; but Sir Kenneth could hear that she was in much agitation.
"Forgive me," said Berengaria, a thoughtless but good-humoured princess of the House of Navarre; "but what is the great offence, after all?
A young knight has been wiled hither--has stolen, or has been stolen, from his post, which no one will disturb in his absence--for the sake of a fair lady; for, to do your champion justice, sweet one, the wisdom of Nectabanus could conjure him hither in no name but yours." "Gracious Heaven! your Majesty does not say so ?" said Edith, in a voice of alarm quite different from the agitation she had previously evinced,--"you cannot say so consistently with respect for your own honour and for mine, your husband's kinswoman! Say you were jesting with me, my royal mistress, and forgive me that I could, even for a moment, think it possible you could be in earnest!" "The Lady Edith," said the Queen, in a displeased tone of voice, "regrets the ring we have won of her.

We will restore the pledge to you, gentle cousin; only you must not grudge us in turn a little triumph over the wisdom which has been so often spread over us, as a banner over a host." "A triumph!" exclaimed Edith indignantly--"a triumph! The triumph will be with the infidel, when he hears that the Queen of England can make the reputation of her husband's kinswoman the subject of a light frolic." "You are angry, fair cousin, at losing your favourite ring," said the Queen.

"Come, since you grudge to pay your wager, we will renounce our right; it was your name and that pledge brought him hither, and we care not for the bait after the fish is caught." "Madam," replied Edith impatiently, "you know well that your Grace could not wish for anything of mine but it becomes instantly yours.