At these words, Agnes burst into tears; Louis, too, began to sob, and Raymond stood pale and trembling. Count Hugo and Sir Charles, perceiving that something unhappy had occurred, drew near their young charges, while the courtiers about the King exchanged looks of compassion, as they gazed upon the sorrowful children.
"There is but one thing, then, to do," exclaimed Raymond, half turning away. "We must fly to England."
"What?" exclaimed the King; "to England! Fly? What means that?"
"In England," said Louis, his voice half-choked with tears, "the King does not allow——"
At this point Raymond gave his brother such a pull by the arm that he instantly stopped speaking, to turn around and see what was the matter, and then Raymond spoke:
"My Lord King," he said, "we must now make our way with our mother to England, because there we shall be safe from the power of the Inquisition. It may be that its trials may be just and right, but we have heard something of the horrible tortures that its prisoners have to bear, to prove whether they will tell the truth or not; and, while I live, my mother, my own dear mother, shall never be dragged from her home and be made to go through such a trial. I would kill her first myself."
"And so would I," cried Louis, "if Raymond were dead!"
"Oh, boys!" exclaimed Agnes, imploringly, "do not say such horrible things!"
The King, apparently, had not heard these latter remarks. For a moment he seemed in troubled thought, and then he said, half to himself:
"Can it be that a noble lady, and a pious one, I doubt not, must flee my dominions, to take refuge with Henry of England, because, as it appears, she is persecuted by enemies, and threatened with the rigors of the Inquisition, which, whatever they be, may perhaps well frighten the souls of a gentle dame and these poor children!"