"
"Peace, shameless!" said the King; "thou sulliest the name of a
prince, even by speaking it.--And yet, De Vaux, it is strange,"
he added, "to see the bearing of the man. Coward or traitor he
must be, yet he abode the blow of Richard Plantagenet as our arm
had been raised to lay knighthood on his shoulder. Had he shown
the slightest sign of fear, had but a joint trembled or an eyelid
quivered, I had shattered his head like a crystal goblet. But I
cannot strike where there is neither fear nor resistance."
There was a pause.
"My lord," said Kenneth--
"Ha!" replied Richard, interrupting him, "hast thou found thy
speech? Ask grace from Heaven, but none from me; for England is
dishonoured through thy fault, and wert thou mine own and only
brother, there is no pardon for thy fault."
"I speak not to demand grace of mortal man," said the Scot; "it
is in your Grace's pleasure to give or refuse me time for
Christian shrift--if man denies it, may God grant me the
absolution which I would otherwise ask of His church! But
whether I die on the instant, or half an hour hence, I equally
beseech your Grace for one moment's opportunity to speak that to
your royal person which highly concerns your fame as a Christian
king.
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