CHAPTER XX.
When beauty leads the lion in her toils, Such are her charms, he dare not raise his mane, Far less expand the terror of his fangs.
So great Alcides made his club a distaff, And spun to please fair Omphale.
ANONYMOUS.
Richard, the unsuspicious object of the dark treachery detailed in the closing part of the last chapter, having effected, for the present at least, the triumphant union of the Crusading princes in a resolution to prosecute the war with vigour, had it next at heart to establish tranquillity in his own family; and, now that he could judge more temperately, to inquire distinctly into the circumstances leading to the loss of his banner, and the nature and the extent of the connection betwixt his kinswoman Edith and the banished adventurer from Scotland.
Accordingly, the Queen and her household were startled with a visit from Sir Thomas de Vaux, requesting the present attendance of the Lady Calista of Montfaucon, the Queen's principal bower-woman, upon King Richard.
"What am I to say, madam ?" said the trembling attendant to the Queen, "He will slay us all." "Nay, fear not, madam," said De Vaux.

"His Majesty hath spared the life of the Scottish knight, who was the chief offender, and bestowed him upon the Moorish physician.

He will not be severe upon a lady, though faulty." "Devise some cunning tale, wench," said Berengaria.

"My husband hath too little time to make inquiry into the truth." "Tell the tale as it really happened," said Edith, "lest I tell it for thee." "With humble permission of her Majesty," said De Vaux, "I would say Lady Edith adviseth well; for although King Richard is pleased to believe what it pleases your Grace to tell him, yet I doubt his having the same deference for the Lady Calista, and in this especial matter." "The Lord of Gilsland is right," said the Lady Calista, much agitated at the thoughts of the investigation which was to take place; "and besides, if I had presence of mind enough to forge a plausible story, beshrew me if I think I should have the courage to tell it." In this candid humour, the Lady Calista was conducted by De Vaux to the King, and made, as she had proposed, a full confession of the decoy by which the unfortunate Knight of the Leopard had been induced to desert his post; exculpating the Lady Edith, who, she was aware, would not fail to exculpate herself, and laying the full burden on the Queen, her mistress, whose share of the frolic, she well knew, would appear the most venial in the eyes of Coeur de Lion.

In truth, Richard was a fond, almost a uxorious husband.