dealing with her Spanish and Provencal as with the rude West-Saxon-
English. Edward's deep manly tones were to be heard, however, now
interrogating the peasants in their own tongue, now briefly
interpreting to his wife in Provencal; and a listener could easily
gather that his hand was as bounteous, his heart as merciful, as
hers, save where attacks on the royal game had been requited by the
trouble complained of; and that in such cases she pleaded in vain.

The captives, whom her husband had surrendered to her mercy, had been
led into a great, long, low hall, with rudely-timbered sides, and
rough beams to the roof, with a stone floor, and great open fire,
over which a man-cook was chattering French to his bewildered English
scullion. An oak table, and settles on either side of it, ran the
whole length of the hall; and here the priest bade the two prisoners
seat themselves. They obeyed--the boy slouching his cap over his
face, averting it, and keeping as far as possible from the group of
servants near the fire. The priest called for bread, meat, and beer,
to be set before them; and after a moment's examination of Adam's
bruise, applied the simple remedy that was all it required, and left
them to their meal. Adam took this opportunity to growl in an
undertone, "Does HE there know you?" The reply was a nod of assent.
"And you knew him?" Another nod; and then the boy, looking heedfully
round, added in a quick, undertone, "Not till you were down. Then he
helped me to restore you. You forgive me, Adam, now?" and he held
out his hand, and wrung the rugged one of the forester.

"What should I forgive! Poor lad! you could not have striven in the
Longshanks' grasp! I was a fool not to guess how it was, when I saw
you not knowing which way to look!"