Then snatching up a flagon of wine that was near at hand, he drank more
than half that was in it. And again he turned over the papers in his
hand. But all they, my little lady, and Mistress Marian, and your
grandfather and grandmother, seemed turned to stone. All at once my
little lady started up as from a spell, and went and got her arms about
him, as in years gone by when she had hurt him with his own mock sword,
and she cried out, "What is it? what is it?" Anon came Mistress Marian
to his other side, and looked over his shoulder, while he stood between
them like one bewitched, and whiter than a man just dead. When Mistress
Marian noted the contents o' th' papers, up went her hand to her heart
as on that day under the beech-tree, and she caught at his arm to stay
herself.
He turned from his wife to her as though for help, saying, "Tell her,
tell her, comrade." And he sank into a chair near by, and dropped down
his head into his hand.
Lord! Lord! that was a fearful night! When they made my little lady to
understand, she set up one cry after another, each loud enough to pierce
the very floor of heaven. Ne'er since have I heard a woman utter such
cries as those. And no one but Mistress Marian could in any wise
appease her, for she would not have my lord come unto her, but drove him
away with waving of her hands, saying, "Thou dost not love _me_, but the
King! thou dost not love _me_, but the King!"
And when Mistress Marian sought to reason with her, 'twas even the same.
Naught could she do but sit and hold her, and comfort her with soft
words and noises such as mothers make o'er their young babes. By-and-by
she was calmer, and asked to see her lord. So Mistress Marian went out,
but I remained on a low stool at the bed's foot. Lord Ernle entered, and
she crept into his arms like a fawn into the hollow of a rock when the
hail is falling. And they clung to each other in silence. Presently he
saith, "Darling, darling, that I should have brought thee to grief!"
She answered, "Nay, not thou, but God. O love, dost truly think that God
is aye a good God?"
And he hushed and soothed her even more tenderly than did Mistress
Marian.