“Speak, Fernando,” said the king.
Fernando trembled and hesitated, but a motion from Garcia caught his eye and emboldened him to go on. He told that he had seen Elvira giving to Don Pedro Sesse, from the royal stables, that favourite steed which the king had ordered should be ridden by none but himself.
Sancho’s brow flushed with sudden anger when he heard this. “Elvira! Pedro!” said he, “is this true?”
“It is true,” said Elvira, “but I alone am guilty! Pedro knew not of thy command. As I live, he did not. Let me suffer, oh, Sancho, for this one fault, but pardon the innocent!”
“She prays for pardon for her paramour!” cried Garcia, exultingly; “what other proof is needful?”
“Hast thou aught more to declare?” said the king to Fernando, in a tone of displeasure.
Again the boy trembled, and looked towards Garcia, whose eagle eye was like a guilty spell upon him.
“Let him look at the queen as he speaks,” said Sancho.
The boy turned towards his mother, but his cheek reddened as he did so, and he cast his eyes towards the ground without speaking.