“My liege,” replied Clotald, “what your majesty says is quite true; I confess my fault, if it is one, to have kept this treasure until it arrived at the perfection suitable for appearing before your majesty’s eyes.  Now that it has done so, I had it in mind to enhance it still more, by asking your majesty’s leave for Isabella to become the wife of my son Richard.”

“I like her name, too,” returned the queen.  “Nothing was wanting to the fulness of her perfection but that she should be called Isabella the Spaniard.  But, mark you, Clotald, I know that, without my leave, you have promised her to your son.”

“That is true, my liege, but it was in the confident hope that the many eminent services which my ancestors and I have rendered to the crown, would obtain from your majesty favours still more difficult to grant than the leave in question, the more so as my son is not yet wedded.”

“Nor shall he be wedded to Isabella,” said the queen, “until he has merited it in his own person.  I mean that I will not have him avail himself to that end of your services or those of his forefathers.  He must himself prepare to serve me, and win by his own deserts this prize which I esteem as if she were my daughter.”

The queen had no sooner uttered these last words than Isabella again fell on her knees before her, saying in Spanish, “Such thwartings as these, most gracious sovereign, are rather to be esteemed auspicious boons than misfortunes.  Your majesty has given me the name of daughter; after that what can I have to fear, or what may I not hope?”

Isabella uttered this with so winning a grace, that the queen conceived an extreme affection for her, desired that she should remain in her service, and committed her to the care of a great lady, her keeper of the robes, who was to instruct her in the duties of her new position.

Richard, who saw himself thus, as it were, deprived of his life in losing Isabella, was almost at his wits’ end.  Agitated and discomfited, he knelt before the queen, and said, “I need no other rewards to induce me to serve your majesty than such as my ancestors have obtained in the service of your royal predecessors; but since it is your majesty’s pleasure that I should have new motives and incentives for my zeal, I would crave to know in what way I may fulfil your majesty’s behest?”

“There are two ships ready to set out on a cruise,” said the queen, “of which I have made the Baron de Lansac general.  I appoint you captain of one of them, being assured that the qualities you derive from those whose blood is in your veins will supply the defect of your years.  Mark what a favour I confer upon you, since I give you an opportunity to signalise yourself in the service of your queen, to display your capacity and your valour, and to win the highest reward, methinks, which you yourself could desire.  I myself will be Isabella’s guardian, though she manifests that her own virtue will be her truest guardian.  Go in God’s name; for since you are in love, as I imagine, I expect great things from your prowess.  Fortunate were the king who in time of war had in his army ten thousand soldiers in love, expecting to obtain their mistresses as the reward of their victories.  Rise, Richard, and if you have anything to say to Isabella, say it now, for to-morrow you must sail.”