‘Dear sire,’ John began.  Philip loathed him.  ’Ah, get you gone, snake, or I tread upon you,’ he said; and the prince avoided.  So much was wrought by Alois of France.

* * * * *

No visitation of a dead woman could have shocked Queen Berengere more suddenly than the apparition of a tall nun, when she saw it was Jehane.  She put her hand upon her heart.

‘Ah,’ she said, ’you trouble me again, Jehane?  Am I never to rest from you?’

jehane did not falter.  ’Do I have any rest?  The King is chained in Styria; he must be redeemed.  It is your turn.  I saved his life for you once by selling my own.  Now I am the wife of an old man, with nothing more to sell.  Do you sell something.’

‘Sell?  Sell?  What can I sell that he will buy?’ whined Berengere.  ’He loves me not.’

‘Well,’ said Jehane, ’what has that to do with it?  Do you not love him?’

’I am his miserable wife.  I have nothing to sell.

‘Sell your pride, Berengere,’ says Jehane.  Berengere bit her lip.

‘You speak strangely to me, woman.’

Says Jehane, ’I am grown strange.  Once I was a girl dishonoured because I loved.  Now I am a wife greatly honoured because I do not love.’

‘You do not love your husband?’

‘How should I,’ said Jehane, ’when I love yours?  But I honour my husband, and watch over his honour:  he is good to me.’

’You dare to tell me that you love the King?  Ah, you have been with him again!’ Jehane looked critically at her.

’I have not seen him, nor ever shall till he is dead.  But we must save him, you and I, Berengere.’

Berengere, the little toy woman, when she saw how noble the other stood, and how inflexible, came wheedling to her, with hands to touch her chin.

’Jehane, sister, let it be my part to save Richard.  Indeed I love him.  You have done so much, to you now he should be nothing.  Let me do it, let me do it, please, Jehane!’ So she stroked and coaxed.  The tall nun smiled.

’Must I always be giving, and my well never be dry?  Yes, yes, I will trust you.  No; you shall not kiss me yet; I have not done.  Go to the Queen-Mother, go to the King your brother.  Go not to the French King, nor to Count John.  He is more cruel than hyaenas, and more a coward.  Find the Abbot Milo, find the Lord of Bearn, find the Sieur des Barres, find Mercadet.  Raise England, sell your jewels, your crown; eh, God of Gods, sell your pretty self.  The Queen-Mother is a fierce woman, but she will help you.  Do these things faithfully, and I leave King Richard’s life in your hands.  May I trust you?’ The other girl looked up at her, wistfully, still touching her chin.

‘Kiss me, Jehane!’

‘Yes, yes, I will kiss you now, Frozen Heart.  You are thawed.’

Jehane, going back to Bordeaux, found Cogia with a ship, wherein she sailed for Tortosa.  But Berengere, Queen of England, played a queen’s part.