"
Thenceforth the enchantment was broken, and Sir Gawaine's bride was
fair to see.
Grisell had listened intently, absorbed in the narrative, so losing
personal thought and feeling that it was startling to her to perceive
that Dame Gresford was trying to hush a rude laugh, and one of the
young squires was saying, "Hush, hush! for very shame."
Then she saw that they were applying the story to her, and the blood
rushed into her face, but the more courteous youth was trying to turn
away attention by calling on the harper for "The Beggar of Bethnal
Green," or "Lord Thomas and Fair Annet," or any merry ballad. So it
was borne in on Grisell that to these young gentlemen she was the
lady unseemly to see. Yet though a few hot tears flowed, indignant
and sorrowful, the sanguine spirit of youth revived. "Sister Avice
had told her how to be not loathly in the sight of those whom she
could teach to love her."
There was one bound by a pledge! Ah, he would never fulfil it. If
he should, Grisell felt a resolute purpose within her that though she
could not be transformed, he should not see her loathly in his sight,
and in that hope she slept.
CHAPTER IX--THE KING-MAKER
O where is faith? O where is loyalty?
SHAKESPEARE, Henry VI., Part II.
Grisell was disappointed in her hopes of seeing her Countess of
Salisbury again, for as she rode into the Castle of York she heard
the Earl's hearty voice of greeting.
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