'All this afternoon I have wrestled with a woman to make her say that
you are older than your age, and precontracted to a cousin of yours. I
have made her say it at last, so your life is saved.'
She turned half to go from him, but he ran round in front of her.
'Your life is saved!' he said desperately, 'for if you were
precontracted to Dearham your marriage with me is void. And if your
marriage with me is void, though it be proved against you that you were
false to me, yet it is not treason, for you are not my wife.'
Again she moved to circumvent him, and again he came before her.
'Speak!' he said, 'speak!' But she folded her lips close. He cast his
arms abroad in a passion of despair. 'You shall be put away into a
castle where you shall have such state as never empress had yet. All
your will I will do. Always I will live near you in secret fashion.'
'I will not be your leman,' she said.
'But once you offered it!' he answered.
'Then you appeared in the guise of a king!' she said.
He withered beneath her tone.
'All you would have you shall have,' he said. 'I will call in a
messenger and here and now send the letter that you wot of to Rome.'
'Your Highness,' she said, 'I would not have the Church brought back to
this land by one deemed an adult'ress. Assuredly, it should not
prosper.'
Again he sought to stay her going, holding out his arms to enfold her.
She stepped back.
'Your Highness,' she said, 'I will speak some last words. And, as you
know me well, you know that these irrevocably shall be my last to you!'