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He showed her the old King stormy in his tent, the meagre white unrest of Alois, the outburst at Autafort and Bertran de Born with his tongue out; the meeting at Tours, the battle, the death of the Count her brother. He was admirable on Richard's love-desires. There could be no doubt at all about them.
Let me alone; I am not all mud nor all devil. I shall do my duty, marry the French girl, and love my golden Jehane until I die. 'That is the saying of a poet and king at once, said Gaston, and really believed it. So they came at dusk to Autafort, a rock castle on the confines of Perigord, held by Bertran de Born. It looked, and was, a robber's hold, although it had a poet for castellan.
Long before Richard was at the gate the Lord of Autafort had had warning, and had peered down upon his suzerain at his clambering. 'The crows shall have Richard before Richard me, said Bertran de Born; so he had his bridge pulled up and portcullis let down, and Autafort showed a bald face to the newcomers. Gaston grinned. 'Hospitality of Aquitaine! Hospitality of your duchy, Richard.
In those days which saw Count Richard's back turned on Autafort, and Saint-Pol's broken at Tours, Bertran de Born came to Pampluna, asking to be received by the King of Navarre. Don Sancho was glad to see him. 'Now, Bertran, says he, 'you shall give me news of poets and the food of poets. All the talk here is of bad debts. 'Oy, sire, says Bertran, 'what can I tell you?
'To horse, to horse, Gaston! The court rang with his voice; to the clamour he made, which might betoken murder, arson, pillage, or the sin against the Holy Ghost, out came the vassals in a swarm. 'To horse, to horse, Béarnais! Where out of hell is Gaston of Béarn? The devil of Anjou was loose in Autafort that day.
Is there a man in the world he hates more than the old King? Yes, there is one: you. Take a token. The last time they two met was in this very castle; and then the King your father kissed him, and forgiving him Henry's death, gave him back his Autafort; and Bertran too gave a kiss, that love might abound. Judas, Judas! And what did Judas next? Dear Richard, let us think awhile, but not here.
'By my head, said the Count, 'if I sleep under the stars I sleep at Autafort this night. But hear me charm this plotter. He called at the top of his voice, 'Ha, Bertran! Come you down, man. The surrounding hills echoed his cries, the jackdaws wheeled about the turrets; but presently came one and put his eye to the grille. Richard saw him. 'Is that you, then, Bertran? he shouted.
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