“The only letter thou didst write?”
“The only one,” repeated Richard.
“And,” added Edward, “it concerns thy brother Henry.”
Richard turned even paler than before, and could not suppress a gasp of dismay. “My Lord, make me not forsworn!”
“Listen to me, Richard,” said Edward. “My sweet lady gave me no rest about thee. She held that I had withdrawn my trust over lightly, for what was no blame to thine heart; and that having set thee here apart from thy natural friends, we owed thee more notice than I have been wont to think wholesome for untried striplings. Others, and I among them, held that Raynald Ferrers’ friendship and countenance showed thee stubbornly set on old connections, and many thought the letter to the Grand Prior Darcy a mere excuse. But when Hamlyn fell, and I still held that thou wert merely cleared from wilful share in the deadly crime of which I had never held thee guilty, then she spake more earnestly. She of her own will sent for Raynald Ferrers to our tent, and called me to speak with him, sure that, even though his family had been our foes, he was too honourable a knight to have espoused thy cause without good reason. Then it was that he told us of thine interest for the blind beggar whose child thou didst save, and of the Grand Prior’s message. Also, as full exculpation of thee, he gave me the letter, which, having failed to find a home-bound messenger at San Giovanni, he had brought back to the camp. And now, Richard, what can I say more, than that I did thee wrong, and pray thee to give me thy hand in pardon?”
Richard hid his face and sobbed, completely overwhelmed by the simple dignity of the humility of such a man as Edward. He held the Prince’s hand to his lips, and exclaimed, “Oh, how—how could I have ever felt discontent, or faltered? not in truth—oh, no—but in trust and patience? Oh! my Lord, that I could die for you!”
“Not yet,” said Edward, smiling; “we have much to do together first. And now tell me, Richard, this beggar is indeed Henry?”
Richard hung his head.
“What, thou mayst not betray him?”
“I am under an oath, my Lord.”