"that may not be, my cousin."
it was the real bishop of montors who was speaking. his company, some fifteen men in all, had ridden up while melicent and perion looked seaward. the bishop was clothed, in his habitual fashion, as a cavalier, showing in nothing as a churchman. he sat a-horseback for a considerable while, looking down at them, smiling and stroking the pommel of his saddle with a gold-fringed glove. it was now dawn.
"i have been eavesdropping," the bishop said. his voice was tender, for the young man loved his kinswoman with an affection second only to that which he reserved for ayrart de montors. "yes, i have been eavesdropping for an instant, and through that instant i seemed to see the heart of every woman that ever lived; and they differed only as stars differ on a fair night in august. no woman ever loved a man except, at bottom, as a mother loves her child: let him elect to build a nation or to write imperishable verses or to take purses upon the highway, and she will only smile to note how breathlessly the boy goes about his playing; and when he comes back to her with grimier hands she is a little sorry, and, if she think it salutary, will pretend to be angry. meanwhile she sets about the quickest way to cleanse him and to heal his bruises. they are more wise than we, and at the bottom of their hearts they pity us more stalwart folk whose grosser wits require, to be quite sure of anything, a mere crass proof of it; and always they make us better by indomitably believing we are better than in reality a man can ever be."
now ayrart de montors dismounted.
"so much for my sermon. for the rest, messire de la forêt, i perfectly recognised you on the day you came to bellegarde. but i said nothing. for that you had not murdered king helmas, as is popularly reported, i was certain, inasmuch as i happen to know he is now at brunbelois, where dame mélusine holds his person and his treasury. a terrible, delicious woman! begotten on a water-demon, people say. i ask no questions. she is a close and useful friend to me, and through her aid i hope to go far. you see that i am frank. it is my nature." the bishop shrugged. "in a phrase, i accepted the vicomte de puysange, although it was necessary, of course, to keep an eye upon your comings in and your goings out, as you now see. and until this the imposture amused me. but this"—his hand waved toward the tranchemer—"this, my fair friends, is past a jest."
"you talk and talk," cried perion, "while i reflect that i love the fairest lady who at any time has had life upon earth."
"the proof of your affection," the bishop returned, "is, if you will permit the observation, somewhat extraordinary. for you propose, i gather, to make of her a camp-follower, a soldier's drab. come, come, messire! you and i are conversant with warfare as it is. armies do not conduct encounters by throwing sugar-candy at one another. what home have you, a landless man, to offer melicent? what place is there for melicent among your free companions?"
"oh, do i not know that!" said perion. he turned to melicent, and long and long they gazed upon each other.
"ignoble as i am," said perion, "i never dreamed to squire an angel down toward the mire and filth which for a while as yet must be my kennel. i go. i go alone. do you bid me return?"
the girl was perfectly calm. she took a ring of diamonds from her hand, and placed it on his little finger, because the others were too large.
"while life endures i pledge you faith and service, perion. there is no need to speak of love."
"there is no need," he answered. "oh, does god think that i will live without you!"
"i suppose they will give me to king theodoret. the terrible old man has set my body as the only price that will buy him off from ravaging poictesme, and he is stronger in the field than emmerick. emmerick is afraid of him, and ayrart here has need of the king's friendship in order to become a cardinal. so my kinsmen must make traffic of my eyes and lips and hair. but first i wed you, perion, here in the sight of god, and i bid you return to me, who am your wife and servitor for ever now, whatever lesser men may do."
"i will return," he said.
then in a little while she withdrew her lips from his lips.
"cover my face, ayrart. it may be i shall weep presently. men must not see the wife of perion weep. cover my face, for he is going now, and i cannot watch his going."
