tell me that she loved me. And I in turn am bound to her in life and
death."

The Chancellor and the tutor broke into laughter, but the marshal
continued to smile his terrible smile of determinate evil.

"Listen," he said at last, "hear this, my Lord of Touraine; ever since
we came to this kingdom, and, indeed, long before we left the realm of
France, the Lady Sybilla intended nothing else than your deception and
destruction. Poor dupe, do you not yet understand? She it was that
cozened you with fair words. She it was that advised you to come
hither that we might hold you in our hands. For her sake you obeyed.
She was the willing bait of the trap your foes set for you. What think
you of the Lady Sybilla now?"

William of Douglas did not answer in words, but as the marshal ceased
speaking, he drew himself together like a lithe animal that sways this
way and that before springing. His right hand dropped softly from his
brother's shoulder upon the hilt of his own dagger.

Then with one sudden bound he was over the barrier and upon the dais.
Almost his blade was at the marshal's throat, and but for the crossed
partisans of two guards who stood on either side of de Retz, he had died
there and then by the dagger of William Douglas. As it was, the youth
was brought to a stand with his breast pressed vainly against the steel
points, and paused there crying out in fury, "Liar and toad! Come out
from behind these varlets that I may slay thee with my hand."

A score of men-at-arms approached from behind, and forced the young
man back to his place.