The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-04

/ Dlt WHO III DDhln IN inc NlhTuulh Oh NlDTelih.
"Kidnapped-and by Morella!' exclaimed
the Queen.
yes, your Majesty. cozened on board
lis ship and kidnapped. The Senior Casteil
and | followed them, and, boarding their
vessel, tried to rescue them. but we're ship
wrecked at Motril. The Marquis carried
them away to Granada. whittier we fol-
lowed also, | being sorely hurt in the ship
wreck.
There. in the palace Of the Marquis.
we have lain prisoners many weeks, but
AZ length escaped, %purposing to come to
Seville and seek the protection Of your
Majesties. On the road, while we we're
dressed Ike Moors, in which garb we com
passed our escape, we were attacked by
men who we thought were bandits, for
we had been warned against such evil
people.
-One OF them rudely molested the Dona
Margaret, and I cut him down. and by
misfortune killed him, for which man.
slaughter l am here before you to-day.
Your Majesty, ! did not know he was a
soldier of the Holy Hermandad. and j pray
you pardon my offence, which was o
In ignorance, fear and anger, for we are
willing 10 pay compensation for this I'M
happy death"
Now some in the court exclaimed;
well spoken, Englishman!"
Then the Queen said:
IF all this tale he true ] am not sure
that we hould blame o overmucb, Schor
Bronze; but how know we that it il true?
For instance, you said thai the noble Marquis
stole two ladies', a decd of which l can
scarcely think him capable. Where, then,
il the other?"
Il believe" answered Peter, that she
is now the wife Of the Marquis of Morella. y
The wife' Who bears witness that
she IL the wife? He has not advised us
that he was about to marry, as is usual"
Then Bernaldez stood forward, stating
his name and occupation. and that he was
a correspondent of the English merchant,
John Castell, and. producing the certificare
OF marriage signed by Morella, Betty and
the priest Henriques, handed il up to the
Queen, saying that he had received them
in duplicate by a messenger from Granada
and had delivered the other to the Arch
bishop of Seville.
The Queen, having looked at the paper,
passed il to her assessors, who examined
it very carefully. one of them saying that
the form was not usual and that it might
be forged.
The Queen thought a little while, then
said
That is 40, and in one way only can We
know the truth. Let our warrant issue.
summoning before us our cousin, the noble
Marquis of Morella; the Sonora Dene, who is
said to be his wife. and the priest Henriqucs
Of Motril, who is said TO have married them.
When they have arrived, all Of them, the
King my husband and I will examine into
the matter, and until then we will not
suffer our minds to be prejudiced by hear
ing any more of this cause"
Now the Governor of the prison stood
forward. and asked what was to be done
with the captives until the witnesses could
be brought from Granada. The Queen
answered that they must remain in his
charge and be vel treated. whereon Peter
prayed that he might be given a better cell,
with fewer rats and more light.
The Queen smiled and said that il should
he 30, but added that II would be proper
that he should still be apart from the lady
TO whom he was affisnced. who could dwell
with her father. Then. noting the sadness
on their faces, she added:
Yet I think they may meet daily in the
garden OF the prison"
Margaret courtesied and thanked her,
whereon she said very graciously:
Come here. Sehora, and sit by me a
little" and she pointed TO a footstoola at her
side. "When have done this business l
desire a few words with you"
So Margaret was brought up on the
dais. and sat down at her Majesty's left
hand upon the broidered f~ootstool. and
very fair indeed she looked placed thus
above the crowd. she whose beauty snd
whose bearing were 10 royal. but Castell
and Peter were led away back to h prison.
though. seeing 70 many gay lords about.
the latter went unwillingly enough
A while later when the cases were fin
ished the Queen dismissed the court
save for certain officers. who stood at a dis
lance. and turning 90 Margaret said:
Now. fair maiden, tell me your story,
~ ole woman to another. and do not fear
that anything you say will be made use of
at the trial of your lover, since against you
at any rate at present. no charge is laid.
Say, first, are you really the afianced Of
that tall gentleman. and has he really
your hearth"
All Of it your Majesty" answ cred
Margaret, -and We have suffered much for
each others sake" Then in as few words
as she could she told their tale, while the
Queen listened earnestly.
A strange story indeed. and il il be all
true, a shameful" she said when Margaret
had finished. But how comes IL that il
Morella desired t. force you into marriage
he is now wed 10 your companion n
cousin? What are you keeping back from
me2" and she glanced at her shrewdly.
Your Ma esty" answered Margaret.
Il was ashamed to speak the rest. yet / will
trust O and do 80. pray ng your royal
forgiveness if you hold that we who were
in desperate straits rave lone what is
wrong. My cousin. Betty Dene. has paid
back Morella in his W false gold. He
won her heart and promised to marry her.
and at the risk Of her own life she took my
place at the altar. thereby securing our
escape"
"A brave deed, il a doubtful" said the
Queen, though | question whether such
a marriage will be upheld. But that is q
matter for the Church to judge of and l
must speak OF it no more. Certainly it is
hard to be angry with any Of you What
did Won saw that Morella promised Won