It becomes him not to compromise and barter, or to grunt life
under the forfeiture of liberty. To have doomed the unfortunate
to death might have been severity, but had a show of justice; to
condemn him to slavery and exile was barefaced tyranny."
"I see, my fair cousin," said Richard, "you are of those pretty
ones who think an absent lover as bad as none, or as a dead one.
Be patient; half a score of light horsemen may yet follow and
redeem the error, if thy gallant have in keeping any secret which
might render his death more convenient than his banishment."
"Peace with thy scurrile jests!" answered Edith, colouring
deeply. "Think, rather, that for the indulgence of thy mood thou
hast lopped from this great enterprise one goodly limb, deprived
the Cross of one of its most brave supporters, and placed a
servant of the true God in the hands of the heathen; hast given,
too, to minds as suspicious as thou hast shown thine own in this
matter, some right to say that Richard Coeur de Lion banished the
bravest soldier in his camp lest his name in battle might match
his own.
Pages:
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455