and speechless and wide of eye, while Johan's cheek grew red and in his
look was shame. Then the Duke put up his vizor and, when he spake, his
voice was harsh and strange: 'Greeting, good brother!' said he, 'go
now, I pray you, get you horse and armour and wait me in the courtyard,
yet first must I greet this my lady wife.' So Johan turned, with
hanging head, and went slow-footed from the chamber. Then said the
Duke, laughing in his madness, 'Behold, lady, the power of a woman's
beauty, for I loved a noble brother once, a spotless knight whose
honour reached high as heaven, but thou hast made of him a something
foul and base, traitor to me and to his own sweet name, and 'tis for
this I will requite thee!' But the Duchess spake not, nor blenched even
when the dagger gleamed to strike--O sweet God of mercy, to strike!
But, in that moment, came Benedict of Bourne and leapt betwixt and took
the blow upon his cheek, and, stanching the blood within his tattered
war-cloak, cried: 'Lord Duke, because I love thee, ne'er shalt thou do
this thing until thou first slay me!' A while the Duke stood in amaze,
then turned and strode away down the great stair, and coming to the
courtyard, beheld his brother Johan armed at all points and mounted,
and with another horse equipped near by. So the Duke laughed and closed
his vizor and his laughter boomed hollow within his rusty casque, and,
leaping to the saddle, rode to the end of the great tilt-yard, and,
wheeling, couched his lance. So these brethren, who had loved each
other so well, spurred upon each other with levelled lances but, or
ever the shock came--O my son, my son!--Johan rose high in his stirrups
and cried aloud the battle-cry of his house 'Arise! Arise! I shall
arise!' and with the cry, tossed aside his lance lest he might harm the
Duke his brother--O sweet clemency of Christ!--and crashed to earth--
and lay there--very still and silent. Then the Duke dismounted and,
watched by pale-faced esquires and men-at-arms, came and knelt beside
his brother, and laid aside his brother's riven helm and, beholding his