But let us by all means kill Bertran de Born first.' During this speech, which had much to recommend it, Richard, as I have told you, did his thinking by himself.

He always cooled as suddenly as he boiled over; and now, warily regarding the right hand and the left of this monstrous fable, he saw that, though Saint-Pol might have played fox in it, another must have played goat.

He could not fail to remember Louviers, and certain horrid mysteries which had offended him then with only vague disgust, as for matters which were outside his own care.

Now they all took shape satyric, like hideous heads thrust out of the dark to loll their tongues at him.

To the shock of his first dismay succeeded the onset of rage, white and cold and deadly as a night frost.