"In my first rage of grief I would have speech with none. But,
by-and-by, I sought the messenger, and asked him casually of things at
home. He told me he had seen thy splendid nuptials with the lord of
Carnforth, had been present at the marriage, and joined in the after
revels and festivities. He said thou didst make a lovely bride, but
somewhat sad, as if thy mind strayed elsewhere. The fellow was a kind
of lawyer's clerk, but lean, and out at elbow.
"Then I sought 'Frida, my cousin. She too had had a letter, giving the
news. She told me she long had feared this thing for me, knowing the
heart of Humphry to be set on winning thee, and that Eleanor approved
his suit, and having already heard that of late thou hadst inclined to
smile on him. She begged me to do nothing rash or hasty.
"'What good were it,' she said, 'to beg the King for leave to hasten
home? If you kill Humphry, Hugh, you do but make a widow of the woman
you have loved; nor could you wed the widow of a man yourself had
slain. If Humphry kills you--well, a valiant arm is lost to the Holy
Cause, and other hearts, more faithful than hers, may come nigh to
breaking. Stay here, and play the man.'
"So, by the messenger, I sent thee back a letter, asking thee to write
me word how it was that thou, being my betrothed, hadst come to do this
thing; and whether Humphry was good to thee, and making thy life
pleasant. To Humphry I sent a letter saying that, thy love being round
him as a silver shield, I would not slay him, wound him, or touch him!
But--if he used thee ill, or gave thee any grief or sorrow, then would
I come, forthwith, and send him straight to hell.
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