sought her lord the King, and showing to him the golden stilus, said,
'Sir, take pity on your child, for with this golden stilus he had done
himself to death but for my staying hand; and, sir, were he, our only
child, to die, bethink you how grievous would be our loss! Say then,
sir, what think you were best to do?' To the entreaties of his Queen,
King Fenis thus made reply: 'Tell Fleur to be comforted, seeing that his
Blanchefleur lives.'

Glad at heart to be bearer of such a message, the Queen hasted to her
son, and, taking him apart, she said to the sorrowing Fleur, 'Weep no
more, but know the truth; your love lies not in the tomb.'

Then, opening the coffin and showing to him its emptiness, the Queen
told all to Fleur: how she and the King his father had sent him to
Montorio, that there he might forget his Blanchefleur, a Christian and a
slave, and choose in her stead a heathen bride of royal race, and how,
finding him still faithful, King Fenis could have slain Blanchefleur,
but, yielding to his Queen's entreaties, had spared her life and sold
her for much gold into distant lands.

Then, standing before that empty grave, Fleur rejoiced with exceeding
joy, and vowed a vow that he would go forth and search through the wide
world till he found his love or died in the attempt.




_Chapter IV_

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