at the door。 I who was watching； opened； thinking it was you returned；
and there stood that lord。 He spoke to me； saying：
〃'Moor…man； I know that your master is from home； but that the lady is
here。 I would speak with her。'
〃Now I would have turned him away； but at that moment the lady
herself； who it seemed was watching； came down the stairs； looking
very white； and said：
〃'Kari； let the lord come in。 I have matters of your master's business
about which I must talk with him。' So； Master； knowing that you had
lent money to this lord； I obeyed； though I liked it not； and having
fetched the sword which I thought perchance might be needed； I
waited。〃
This was the substance of what he said； though his talk was more
broken since he never learned to speak English well and helped it out
with words of his own tongue； of which； as I have told； he had taught
me something。
〃I do not understand；〃 I exclaimed； when he had finished。 〃Doubtless
it is little or nothing。 Yet give me the sword； for who knows？ and
come with me。〃
Kari obeyed； and as I went up the stairs I buckled Wave…Flame about
me。 Also Kari brought two candles of Italian wax lighted upon their
stands。 Coming to the door of the solar I tried to open it； but it was
bolted。
〃God's truth！〃 I said； 〃this is strange；〃 and hammered on the panel
with my fist。
Presently it opened； but before entering it； for I feared some trick；
I stood without and looked in。 The room was lit by a hanging lamp and
a fire burned brightly on the hearth； for the night was cold。 In an
oak chair by the fire and staring into it sat Blanche still as any
statue。 She glanced round and saw me in the light of the candles that
Kari held； and again stared into the fire。 Half…way between her and
the door stood Deleroy； dressed as ever in fine clothes； though I
noted that his cape was off and hung over a stool near the fire as
though to dry。 I noted also that he wore a sword and a dagger。 I
entered the room； followed by Kari； shut the door behind me and shot
the bolt。 Then I spoke； asking：
〃Why are you here with my wife； Lord Deleroy？〃
〃It is strange； Master merchant；〃 he answered； 〃but I was about to put
much the same question to you： namely； why is /my/ wife in your
house？〃
Now； while I reeled beneath these words； without turning her head；
Blanche by the fire said：
〃He lies； Hubert。 I am not his wife。〃
〃Why are you here； my Lord Deleroy？〃 I repeated。
〃Well； if you would know； Master merchant； I bring a paper for you； or
rather a copy of it； for the writ itself will be served on you
to…morrow by the King's officers。 It commits you to the Tower under
the royal seal for trading with the King's enemies； a treason that can
be proved against you； of which as you know； or will shortly learn；
the punishment is death；〃 and as he spoke he threw a writing down upon
a side table。
〃I see the plot；〃 I answered coldly。 〃The King's unworthy favourite；
forger and thief； uses the King's authority to try to bring the King's
honest subject to bonds and death by a false accusation。 It is a
common trick in these days。 But let that be。 For the third time I ask
youwhy are you here with my new…wed wife and at this hour of the
night？〃
〃So courteous a question demands a courteous answer； Master merchant；
but to give it I must trouble you to listen to a tale。〃
〃Then let it be like my patience； brief；〃 I replied。
〃It shall；〃 he said with a mocking bow。
Then very clearly and quietly he set out a dreadful story； giving
dates and circumstances。 Let that story be。 The substance of it was
that he had married Blanche soon after she reached womanhood and that
she had borne him a child which died。
〃Blanche；〃 I said when he had done； 〃you have heard。 Is this true？〃
〃Much of it is true；〃 she answered in that strange； cold voice； still
staring at the fire。 〃Only the marriage was a false one by which I was
deceived。 He who celebrated it was a companion of the Lord Deleroy
tricked out as a priest。〃
〃Do not let us wrangle of this matter；〃 said Deleroy。 〃A man who mixes
with the world like yourself； Master merchant； will know that women in
a trap rarely lack excuses。 Still if it be admitted that this marriage
did not fulfil all formalities； then so much the better for Blanche
and myself。 If she be your lawful wife and not mine； you； I learn；
have signed a writing in her favour under which she will inherit your
great wealth。 That indenture I think you can find no opportunity to
dispute； and if you do I have a promise that the property of a certain
traitor shall pass to me； the revealer of his treachery。 Let it
console you in your last moments； Master merchant； to remember that
the lady whom you have honoured with your fancy will pass her days in
wealth and comfort in the company of him whom she has honoured with
her love。〃
〃Draw！〃 I said briefly as I unsheathed my sword。
〃Why should I fight with a base； trading usurer？〃 he asked； still
mocking me； though I thought that there was doubt in his voice。
〃Answer your own question； thief。 Fight if you will； or die without
fighting if you will not。 For know that until I am dead you do not
leave this room living。〃
〃Until I dead too； O Lord；〃 broke in Kari in his gentle voice； bowing
in his courteous foreign fashion。
As he did so with a sudden motion Kari shook the cloak back from his
body and for the first time I saw that thrust through his leathern
belt was a long weapon； half sword and half dagger； also that its
sharpened steel was bare。
〃Oh！〃 exclaimed Deleroy； 〃now I understand that I am trapped and that
when you told me； Blanche； that this man would not return to…night and
that therefore we were safe together； you lied。 Well； my Lady Blanche；
you shall pay for this trick later。〃
Whilst he spoke thus； slowly； as though to gain time； he was looking
about him； and as the last word left his lips； knowing that the door
was locked； he dashed for the window； hoping； I suppose； to leap
through the casement； or if that failed； to shout for help。 But Kari；
who had set the candles he bore on a side table； that where the
writing lay； read his mind。 With a movement more swift than that of a
polecat leaping on its prey； the swiftest indeed that ever I saw； he
sprang between him and the casement； so that Deleroy scarce escaped
pinning himself upon the steel that he held in his long； outstretched
arm。 Indeed； I think it pricked his throat； for he checked himself
with an oath and drew his sword； a double…edged weapon with a sharp
point； as long as mine perhaps； but not so heavy。
〃I see that I must finish the pair of you。 Perchance； Blanche； you
will protect my back as a loving wife should do； until this lout is
done with；〃 he said； swaggering to the last。
〃Kari；〃 I commanded； 〃hold the candles aloft that the light may be
good； and leave this man to me。〃
Kari bowed and took the copper taper stands； one in either hand； and
held them aloft。 But first he placed his long dagger； not back in his
belt； but between his teeth with the handle towards his right hand。
Even then in some strange fashion I noted how terrible looked this
grim dark man holding the candles high with the knife gripped between
his white teeth。
Deleroy and I faced each other in the open space between the fire and
the door。 Blanche turned round upon her stool and watched； uttering no
sound。 But I laughed aloud for of the end I had no doubt。 Had there
been ten Deleroys I would have slain them all。 Still presently I found
there was cause to doubt； for when； parrying his first thrust； I drove
at him with all my strength； instead of piercing him through and
through the ancient sword； Wave…Flame； bent in my hand like a bow as
it is strung； telling me that beneath his Joseph's coat of silk
Deleroy wore a shirt of mail。
Then I cried： 〃/A…hoi！/〃 as Thorgrimmer my ancestor may have done when
he wielded this same sword； and while Deleroy still staggered beneath
my thrust I grasped Wave…Flame with both hands； wheeled it aloft； and
smote。 He lifted his arm round which he had wound his cloak； to
protect his head； but the sword shore through cloak and arm； so that
his hand with the glittering rings upon it fell to the floor。
Again I smote for； as both of us knew； this business was to the death；
and Deleroy fell down dead； smitten through the brain。
Kari smiled gently； and lifting the cloak； shook it out and threw it
over what had been Deleroy。 Then he took my sword and while I watched
him idly； cleansed it with rushes from the floor。
Next I heard a sound from the neighbourhood of the fire； and
bethinking me of Blanche turned to speak to her； though what I was
going to say God knows for I do not。
A terrible sight met my eyes and burned itself into my very soul so
that it could never be forgot。 Blanche was leaning back in the oak
chair over which flowed her long； fair locks； and the front of her
robe was red。 I remembered how she had spilt the wine at the feast and
thought I saw its stain； till presently； still staring； I noted that
it grew and knew it to be caused by another wine； that of her blood。
Also I noted that from the midst of it seen in the lamplight； just
beneath the snake…encircled ruby heart； appeared the little handle of
a dagger。
I sprang to her； but she lifted her hand and waved me back。
〃Touch me not；〃 she whispered； 〃I am not fit； also the thrust is
mortal。 If you draw the knife I shall die at once； and first I would
speak。 I would have you know that I love you and hoped to be a good
wife to you。 What I said was true。 That dead man tricked me with a
false marriage when I was scarcely more than a child； and afterwards
he would not mend it with an honest。 Perchance he himself was wed； or
he had other reasons； I do not know。 My father guessed much but not
all。 I tried to warn you when you offered yourself； but you were deaf
and blind and would not see or listen。 Then I gave way； liking you
well and thinking that I should find rest； as indeed I do； thinking
also that I should be wealthy and able to shut that villain's mouth
with gold。 I never knew he was coming here or even that he had sailed
home from France； but he broke in upon me； having l