He hath hurled down increase of anger on his own head by his daring insult of King Edward's herald; had there been hope before there is none now." A piercing cry escaped the boy, and he would have fallen had he not been supported by the countess; he looked at her pitying face, and again threw himself at her feet.
"Canst _thou_ not, wilt _thou_ not save him ?" he cried; "art thou not the daughter of Edward, his favorite, his dearly beloved, and will he not list to thee--will he not hear thy pleadings?
Oh, seek him, kneel to him as I to thee, implore his mercy--life, life, only the gift of life; sentence him to exile, perpetual exile, what he will, only let him live: he is too young, too good, too beautiful to die.

Oh! do not look as if this could not be.

He has told me how you both loved him, not that I should seek ye.

It is not at his request I come; no, no, no, he spurns life, if it be granted on conditions.

But they have torn me from him, they have borne him to the lowest dungeon, they have loaded him with fetters, put him to the torture.