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There were only two things she was sorry to leave Agnes, because she might have told her more about her mother, and the grave, in the Priory churchyard below, of the baby Lady Alianora the little sister who never grew up to tyrannise over her. It was a long journey ere they reached Kilquyt Manor, and Philippa had time to make the acquaintance of her new owner.
As the child came to the usual "God bless my father and mother," which, fatherless as she had always been, she had been taught to say, Constance quietly checked her, and made her say, "God bless my mother" only. And at the close, little Alianora was instructed to add, "God pardon my father's soul."
They called it an oliphant," for so in old time people pronounced elephant. "The Lord King thought great things of this beast, and had a house built for it, forty feet by twenty, at the Tower: it was made very strong, lest the great beast should break forth and slay men. But truly it seemed a peaceable beast enough. "We dwelt much more quietly at Windsor, after the departure of the Lady Alianora.
Raymond Bérenger took up his sceptre and departed, and the Princess turned to where Manuel was pottering with the three images he had made in the likeness of Helmas and Ferdinand and Alianora. "You see, now, Manuel dearest, I am heart-broken, but for the realm's sake I must marry the King of England." Manuel looked up from his work. "Yes, I heard.
As to keeping any passage for the traffic, that would have been considered quite unnecessary. There was not much to keep it for; and what there was could go round by back streets, just as well as not. Few people set any value on time in the Middle Ages. Queen Alianora was expected to arrive about twelve o'clock.
"That is to-morrow's affair," replied Dom Manuel "To-day there is an obligation upon me, and my dealings are with to-day." Then Manuel bound the clay head of Misery in the two handkerchiefs which were wet with the tears of Alianora and of Freydis.
"Oh, spare me that vile bit of worldly logic, sir, and I will concede whatever you desire!" "Then do you stop talking such nonsense, and do you stop telling me about things that everybody knows, and do you give my daughter her feather!" Manuel ascends the white throne of Alianora.
For the rest, he was sustained against tittle-tattle by the knowledge that he had performed a charitable deed in England, for the Queen's popularity was enhanced, and all the English, but particularly their King, were delighted, by the fine son which the stork duly brought to Alianora the following June.
And with Niafer that was the end of Count Manuel's discharging of his obligation to Alianora. Of course there were gossips who said this, that and the other.
Niafer dead and lost to him, he, without flaunting any unexampled ardors, fell to loving Alianora: and now that Freydis had put off immortality for his kisses, the tall boy had, again, somewhat the air of consenting to accept this woman's sacrifice, and her loveliness and all her power and wisdom, as being upon the whole the handiest available substitute for Niafer's sparse charms.
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