Yeoland’s face had a shadow of repugnance upon it; her eyes darkened. The man seemed in a callous, scoffing humour; it was mere glittering steel over the bitterness within.
"Have the truth if you will. She was the wife of the Lord Flavian of Gambrevault."
The girl stood motionless for a moment; then swayed away several steps from Fulviac under the trees. One hand was at her throat; her voice came in a whisper.
Fulviac choked an oath, and played with his sword.
"Then there was some truth in her?" he said.
"Madame, the woman declared you were a traitress, and that this lordling, this Flavian of Gambrevault, loved you."
"For your sake and the cause. She might have cast our Saint out of heaven."
Yeoland went back from him and leant against a tree, with her hands over her eyes. Sunlight splashed down upon her dress; she shivered as in a cold wind, and could not speak. Fulviac’s voice, level and passionless, questioned her as she stood and hid her face.
Her responses had come like chords smitten from the strings of a lute. She started away from the tree and began to walk up and down, wringing her hands. Her face was like the face of one in torture, and she seemed to struggle for breath.
"He was young, and he besought me when your men were breaking down the gate. What could I do, what could I do? He was young, and I let him go by the postern and told you a lie. God help me, I told you a lie."
The man watched her with arms folded. There was a look of deep melancholy upon his face, as of one wounded by the truth. His voice was sad but resolute.
She rallied suddenly and came to him with truth in her eyes; they were wonderfully piteous and appealing.
"God knows I have been loyal to you. The man tempted me, but I withstood him; I kept my loyalty."
"Nothing, nothing; he is as innocent as a child."
Fulviac looked down at her with a great light in his eyes. He spoke slowly and with a deeper intonation in his voice.
"I have dealt with many bad women," he said, "but I believe you are speaking the truth."
"I take it as such; you have been too much a woman."
He stepped forward suddenly, took her hands, and looked down at her with a vast tenderness.
"Little woman, if I told you I loved you, would you still swear that you have spoken the truth?"