"That is no affair of yours, my lord duke!" answered the spirited voice
of the queen. "Be good enough to finish Lord Gloucester's trial; and
until then I will be responsible for the safekeeping of Sir Norman
Kingsley."
"And after that, he is to go free eh, your majesty?" said the dwarf,
laughing to that extent that he ran the risk of rupturing an artery.
"After that, it shall be precisely as I please!" replied the ringing
voice; while the black eyes flashed anything but loving glances upon
him. "While I am queen here, I shall be obeyed; when I am queen no
longer, you may do as you please! My lords" (turning her passionate,
beautiful face to the hushed audience), "am I or am I not sovereign
here!"
"Madame, you alone are our sovereign lady and queen!"
"Then, when I condescend to command, you shall obey! Do you, your
highness, and you, lord duke, go on with the Earl of Gloucester's trial,
and I will be the stranger's jailer."
"She is right," said the dwarf, his fierce little eyes gleaming with a
malignant light; "let us do one thing before another; and after we have
settled Gloucester here, we will attend to this man's case. Guards keep
a sharp eye on your new prisoner. Ladies and gentlemen, be good enough
to resume your seats. Now, your grace, continue the trial."
"Where did we leave off?" inquired his grace, looking rather at a loss,
and scowling vengeance dire at the handsome queen and her handsome
protege, as he sank back in his chair of state.
"The earl was confessing his guilt, or about to do so. Pray, my lord,"
said the dwarf, glaring upon the pallid prisoner, "were you not saying
you had betrayed us to the king?"
A breathless silence followed the question--everybody seemed to hold
his very breath to listen. Even the queen leaned forward and awaited the
answer eagerly, and the many eyes that had been riveted on Sir Norman
since his entrance, left him now for the first time and settled on the
prisoner. A piteous spectacle that prisoner was--his face whiter than
the snowy nymphs behind the throne, and so distorted with fear, fury,
and guilt, that it looked scarcely human. Twice he opened his eyes to
reply, and twice all sounds died away in a choking gasp.
"Do you hear his highness?" sharply inquired the lord high chancellor,
reaching over the great seal, and giving the unhappy Earl of Gloucester
a rap on the head with it, "Why do you not answer?"
"Pardon! Pardon!" exclaimed the earl, in a husky whisper. "Do not
believe the tales they tell you of me. For Heaven's sake, spare my
life!"
"Confess!" thundered the dwarf, striking the table with his clinched
fist, until all the papers thereon jumped spasmodically into the
air-"confess at once, or I shall run you through where you stand!"