'"Ah! qu'il a l'air noble et gracieux! C'est un vrai roi!" cried Pauline below her breath, as the Duke took her mother's hand to raise her from the ground, bowed profoundly over it, and said as he took the gift she offered: "Madame, I have come to defend the truths contained in this book, and to seal them, if so it must be, with my blood."
'I heard these words quite distinctly, in the sudden silence which had followed the cheers; but, after the Duke had finished speaking, the noise grew more deafening than ever. A great many people were sobbing, too, besides Lucy Fordyce, though it could not have been with fright, like her, for they were quite grown-up.
'Dr. Power rubbed his hands together and said, "Right, right: those are the best words that have been spoken yet," quite out loud. And Eleanor Page whispered to Pauline, "I wish Henrietta was here: she would be convinced now."
'And now, at a sign from Madame St. Aubert, the whole school began to move forward, and we all fell into our proper places in the procession. Bessie did not change colour now, nor falter in the least, as she knelt before the Duke and gave the banner into his hand, with the few words which had been arranged beforehand for her to say: "Will your Grace deign to accept all we have to offer you—the best work of our hands, with the best wishes of our hearts?"
BESSIE DID NOT CHANGE COLOUR NOW, NOR FALTER IN THE
LEAST, AS SHE KNELT BEFORE THE DUKE AND GAVE THE
BANNER INTO HIS HANDS.
'"When you see these colours again, fair mistress," said the Duke, as he clasped the staff in his hand, "I trust they will have waved over a conquered field. We cannot but be victorious who fight under a flag worked by so many fair hands, and accompanied by the wishes of so many kind hearts. In the name of my followers as well as my own, I thank you, and all people of the good town of Taunton, for their faith in me and in my cause. I ask them to keep their faith only a little longer, and it shall be justified. We are in arms for the liberties of England, and for the Protestant religion, and therefore can say, without the shadow of a doubt or scruple, 'May God defend the right!'"
'Bessie's earnest "Amen" was repeated in a sort of shout by many voices, for the Duke spoke in tones clear enough to be heard by all around him. Dr. Power was just going to rub his hands again, but changed his mind, and rubbed one eye instead—very hard indeed—and then looked about him with such a triumphant smile, that I felt exactly as if he was saying, "I told you so. Did I not use almost these very words, young ladies? Let this be impressed upon your minds till the latest hour of your lives." Certainly the impression was made upon mine. I can recollect even now all that happened on that day, down to the most trivial particulars, with a minuteness that would satisfy even Dr. Power himself. But, anxious as he was that it should be so, I am quite sure that he never dreamed what terrible reason we should all have for remembering that twentieth of June to the latest hour of our lives.