‘Pish!’ said Count Richard, and turned to leave the pavilion.  Prince John slipped through the curtains, and at that moment Richard heard a little fretful cry within, not the cry of mortal lady.  ’What under heaven have they got in there, this family?’ he asked himself.  Shrugging, he went out into the fresh air.

The abbot notes that his lord and master came running into his quarters, ’and tumbled upon me, like a lover who finds his mistress after many days.  “Milo, Milo, Milo,” he began to cry, three times over, as if the name helped him, “Thou wilt live to see a puddock upon the throne of England!” Thus he strangely said.’

CHAPTER IV

HOW JEHANE STROKED WHAT ALOIS HAD MADE FIERCE

When the Count of Saint-Pol came to Paris he found the going very delicate.  For it is a delicate matter to confer in a king’s capital, with a king’s allies, how best to throw obstacles in that king’s way.  As a matter of fact he found that he could do little or nothing in the business.  King Philip was in great feather concerning his sister’s arrival; the heralds were preparing to go out to meet her.  Nicholas d’Eu and the Baron of Quercy were to accompany them; King Philip thought Saint-Pol the very man to make a third, but this did not suit the Count at all.  He sought out his kinsman the Marquess of Montferrat, a heavy Italian, who gave him very little comfort.  All he could suggest was that his ‘good cousin’ would do better to help him to the certain throne of Jerusalem.  ‘What do you want with more than one king in a family?’ asked the Marquess.  Saint-Pol grew rather dry as he assured him that one king would suffice, and that Anjou was nearer than Jerusalem.  He went on to hint at various strange speculations rife concerning the history of Madame Alois.  ‘If you want garbage, Eudo,’ said Montferrat to this, ‘come not to me.  But I know a rat who might be of service.’

‘The name of your rat, Marquess!  It is all I ask.’

‘Bertran de Born:  who else?’ said Montferrat.  Now, Bertran de Born was the thorn in the flesh of Anjou, a rankling addition to their state whom they were never without.  Saint-Pol knew his value very well, and decided to go down to see the man in his own country.  So he would have gone, no doubt, had not his sovereign judged otherwise.  Saint-Pol received commands to accompany the heralds to Louviers, so had to content himself with a messenger to the trobador and a letter which announced the extreme happiness of the great Count of Poictou.  This, he knew, would draw the poison-bag.