"
In this candid humour, the Lady Calista was conducted by De Vaux
to the King, and made, as she had proposed, a full confession of
the decoy by which the unfortunate Knight of the Leopard had been
induced to desert his post; exculpating the Lady Edith, who, she
was aware, would not fail to exculpate herself, and laying the
full burden on the Queen, her mistress, whose share of the
frolic, she well knew, would appear the most venial in the eyes
of Coeur de Lion. In truth, Richard was a fond, almost a
uxorious husband. The first burst of his wrath had long since
passed away, and he was not disposed severely to censure what
could not now be amended. The wily Lady Calista, accustomed from
her earliest childhood to fathom the intrigues of a court, and
watch the indications of a sovereign's will, hastened back to the
Queen with the speed of a lapwing, charged with the King's
commands that she should expect a speedy visit from him; to which
the bower-lady added a commentary founded on her own observation,
tending to show that Richard meant just to preserve so much
severity as might bring his royal consort to repent of her
frolic, and then to extend to her and all concerned his gracious
pardon.
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