CHAPTER XXIX. HOW THE BLESSED HOUR OF SIGHT CAME TO THE LADY TIPHAINE.

them.GodHeknowsthatIhavehadgreatpatiencewiththem.Itwasbutlastweekthat,havingtoraisesomemoney,IcalleduptothecastleJeanGoubert,who,asallmenknow,hasacasketfulofgoldpieceshiddenawayinsomehollowtree.IgiveyoumywordthatIdidnotsomuchaslayastripeuponhisfool'sback,butafterspeakingwithhim,andtellinghimhowneedfulthemoneywastome,Ilefthimforthenighttothinkoverthematterinmydungeon.Whatthinkyouthatthedogdid?Why,inthemorningwefoundthathehadmadearopefromstripsofhisleathernjerkin,andhadhunghimselftothebarofthewindow.” “Forme,Icannotconceivesuchwickedness!”criedthelady. “AndtherewasGertrudeLeBoeuf,asfairamaidenaseyecouldsee,butasbadandbitterastherestofthem.WhenyoungAmorydeValancewasherelastLammastidehelookedkindlyuponthegirl,andevenspokeoftakingherintohisservice.Whatdoesshedo,withherdogofafather?Why,theytiethemselvestogetherandleapintotheLindenPool,wherethewaterisfivespears'-lengthsdeep.IgiveyoumywordthatitwasagreatgrieftoyoungAmory,anditwasdayserehecouldcastitfromhismind.Buthowcanoneservepeoplewhoaresofoolishandsoungrateful?” WhilsttheSeneschalofVillefranchehadbeendetailingtheevildoingsofhistenants,AlleynehadbeenunabletotakehiseyesfromthefaceofLadyTiphaine.Shehadlainbackinherchair,withdroopingeyelidsandbloodlessface,sothathehadfearedatfirstherjourneyhadweighedheavilyuponher,andthatthestrengthwasebbingoutofher.Ofasudden,however,therecameachange,foradashofbrightcolorflickeredupontoeithercheek,andherlidswereslowlyraisedagainuponeyeswhichsparkledwithsuchlustreasAlleynehadneverseeninhumaneyesbefore,whiletheirgazewasfixedintently,notonthecompany,butonthedarktapestrywhichdrapedthewall.Sotransformedandsoetherealwasherexpression,thatAlleyne,inhisloftiestdreamofarchangelorofseraph,hadneverpicturedsosweet,sowomanly,andyetsowiseaface.GlancingatDuGuesclin,Alleynesawthathealsowaswatchinghiswifeclosely,andfromthetwitchingofhisfeatures,andthebeadsuponhisbrick-coloredbrow,itwaseasytoseethathewasdeeplyagitatedbythechangewhichhemarkedinher. “Howisitwithyou,lady?”heaskedatlast,inatremulousvoice. Hereyesremainedfixedintentlyuponthewall,andtherewasalongpauseeresheansweredhim.Hervoice,too,whichhadbeensoclearandringing,wasnowlowandmuffledasthatofonewhospeaksfromadistance. “Allisverywellwithme,Bertrand,”saidshe.“Theblessedhourofsighthascomeroundtomeagain.” “Icouldseeitcome!Icouldseeitcome!”heexclaimed,passinghisfingersthroughhishairwiththesameperplexedexpressionasbefore. “Thisisuntoward,SirTristram,”hesaidatlast.“AndIscarceknowinwhatwordstomakeitcleartoyou,andtoyourfairwife,andtoSirNigelLoring,andtotheseotherstrangerknights.Mytongueisabluntone,andfittertoshoutwordofcommandthantoclearupsuchamatterasthis,ofwhichIcanmyselfunderstandlittle.This,however,Iknow,thatmywifeiscomeofaverysaintedrace,whomGodhathinHiswisdomendowedwithwondrouspowers,sothatTiphaineRaquenelwasknownthroughoutBrittanyereeverIfirstsawheratDinan.Yetthesepowersareeverusedforgood,andtheyarethegiftofGodandnotofthedevil,whichisthedifferencebetwixtwhitemagicandblack.” “PerchanceitwouldbeaswellthatweshouldsendforFatherStephen,”saidSirTristram. “Itwouldbebestthatheshouldcome,”criedtheHospitaller. “Andbringwithhimaflaskofholywater,”addedtheknightofBohemia. “Notso,gentlemen,”answeredSirBertrand.“Itisnotneedfulthatthispriestshouldbecalled,anditisinmymindthatinaskingforthisyecastsomeslightshadoworsluruponthegoodnameofmywife,asthoughitwerestilldoubtfulwhetherherpowercametoherfromaboveorbelow.IfyehaveindeedsuchadoubtIpraythatyouwillsayso,thatwemaydiscussthematterinafittingway.” “Formyself,”saidSirNigel,“IhaveheardsuchwordsfallfromthelipsofthisladythatIamoftheopinionthatthereisnowoman,saveonlyone,whocanbein