SERIAL STORY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6311, 11 September 1907, Page 2

SERIAL STORY.

(By H. Kider Haggard.)

FAIR MARGARET.

CHAPTER XXII. THE DOOM OF JOHN CASTELL. His evidence finished, tho Marquis of Morelia sat down, whereon, the king and queen, having whispered together, the head alcalde asked lie tty if she had any questions to put to him. She rose with much dignity, and, through her interpreter, said, in a quiet voice: “Yes, a great many. Yet she would not debase herself by asking, a single one until the stain which he had cast upon her was washed away, which she thought could only be done in blood. He had alleged that she was a woman of no character, and ho had further alleged that their marriage was null and void. Being of the sex she was, she could not ask him to make good his assertions at the sword's point, therefore, as she believed she had the right to do according to all tho laws of honour she asked leave to seek a champion—if an unfriended woman could find one in a strange land —to uphold her fair name against this base and cruel slander." Now, in tho silence that followed her speech, Peter rose, and said: , “I ask tho permission of your Majesties to be that champion. Your Majesties will note that, according to his own story, 1 have suffered from this marquis the bitterest wrong that one man can receive at tho hands of another. Also, he has lied in saying that I am not true to my affianced lady, the Dona Margaret, and surely I have a right to avenge the lie upon him. Lastly, I declare that I believe the Senora Betty to bo a good and upright woman, upon whom no shadow of shame has ever fallen, and, as her countryman and relative, I desire to uphold her good name before all tho world. X am a foreigner hero, with few friends, or none, yet I cannot believe that your Majesties will withhold from me the right of battle which all over tho world, in such a case, one gentleman may demand of another. I challenge the Marquis of Morelia to mortal combat, without mercy to the fallen, and here Is tho proof of it." Then, stepping across the open space before tho bar, he drew the leathern gauntlet off his hand, and threw it straight into Morelia’s face, knowing that, after such an insult, ho could not choose but fight. With an oath, Morelia snatched at his sword; but, before he could draw it, officers of the court threw themselves on him, and the king's stern voice was heard commanding them to cease their brawling in tho royal presences. “I ask your pardon, sire," gasped Morelia, “but you have seen what this Englishman did to me, a grandee of Spain." “Yes," broke in the queen, “but we have also heard what' you, a grandee of Spain, did to this gentleman of England, and tho charge you brought against him, which, it seems, the Dona Margaret does not believe." “In truth, no, your Majesty," said Margaret. “Let me be sworn also, and I can explain much of what the marquis has told you. I never wished to marry him or any man, save this on©," and she touched Peter on the, arm, “and anything that he or I may have done, we did to escape the evil net in which we were snared." “Wo believe it," answered tho queen with a .smile, then fell to consulting with the king and the alcaldes. For a long time they debated in voices so low that none could hoar what they said, looking now at one and now at another of the parties to thie strange suit. Also, some priest was called into their council, which Margaret thought a bad omen. At length they made up their ininds, and in. a low, quiet voice and measured words her Majesty, as Queen of Castile, gave the judgment of them all. Addressing herself first to Morelia, she said: “My lord Marquis, you have brought very grave charges against the lady who claims to bo your wife, and the Englishman whoso affianced bride you admit you snatched away by fraud and force. This gentleman, on his own' behalf and on behalf of these ladies, has challenged you to a combat to the death in a fashion that none can mistake. Do . you accept his challenge?" / “I would accept it readily enough, your Majesty," answered Morelia in sullen tones, '"'since heretofore none have doubted my courage; but I must remember that I am"—and he paused, then added —“what your Majesties know me to bo, a grandee of Spain, and something more, wherefore it is scarcely lawful for mo to cross swords w r ith a dew-merchant's clerk, for that, was this man's high rank and office in England." “You could cross them with me on jour ship, the San Antonio," exclaimed Peter bitterly, “why then are you ashamed to finish -what you were not ashamed to begin? Moreover, I toll you that in love or war I hold myself the ooual of any woman-thief and bastard, in this kingdom, who - am one of a name' that has been honoured in my own." Now again the king and queen spoke together of this question of rank—no small on© In that age and country. Then . Isabella said: . I “It is true that a grande© of Spain cannot bo asked to meet a simple foreign gentleman in single combat. Therefore/ s>nco ho has thought lit to raise it, we uphold the objection of - the Marquis of; Morelia/and declare that this challenge

is not binding on his honour. Yet wo note his willingness to accept the same, and are prepared to do what w© can to make the matter easy, so that it may not bo said that a Spaniard, who has wrought wrong to an Englishman, and been asked openly to make the amend of arms before the faces of his sovereigns, was debarred from so doing by the accident of his rank. Senor Peter Brome, if you will receive honour at our hands, as others of your nation have been proud to do, w© propose, believing you to be a brave and loyal man of gentle birth, to confer upon yon the knighthood of the Order of St. James, and thereby and therein the right to consort as equal, or to fight as equal, any noble of Spain, unless he should be of the right blood-royal, to which place wo think the most puissant and excellent Marquis of Morelia lays* no, claim." "X thank your Majesties," said Peter astonished, "for tho honour that you would do to me, which, had it not been for the fact that my father chose the wrong side on Bosworth Field, being of a race somewhat obstinate in the matter of loyalty, I should not have needed to accept from your Majesties, As it is I am very grateful, since now tho noblo marquis need not feel debased in settling our long quarrel ns he would desire to do." "Come hither and kneel down, Senor Peter Brome," said the queen when he had finished speaking. He obeyed, and Isabella, borrowing his sword from the king, gave him the accolade by striking him thrice upon the right shoulder and saying: “Rise, Sir Peter Brome, Knight of tho most noble Order of Saint lago, and by creation a Don of Spain." He rose, he bowed, retreating backwards as was the custom, and thereby nearly falling off the dais, which some people thought a good omen for Morella. As ho went the king said: "Our Marshal, Sir Peter, will arrange the time and manner of your combat with the marquis as shall be-fipost convenient to you both. Meanwhile, .wo command you both that no unseemly word or deed should pass between you, who must soon meet face to face to abide the j udgment of God in battle a I'outrance. Now, since one of you must die so shortly, we entreat you to prepare your souls to appear before His judg-ment-seat. We have spoken." Now tho audience appeared to think that the court was ended, for many of them began to rise; but the queen held up her hand and said:

"There remain other matters on which we must give judgment. The senora here," and she pointed to Hetty, “asks that her marriage should be declared valid, or so we understand, and the Marquis of Morelia asks that his marriage with the said senora should be declared void, or. so w 6 * understand. Now this is a question over which we ; claim no power, it'having to do with a sacrament of the Church Therefore we leave it to his Holiness the Hope in person, or by his legate, tu decide according to his wisdom in such manner as may seem best 10 him, if the parties concerned should choose to lay their suit before him. Meanwhile, we declare and decree that the &cuora born beth Den© shall everywhere throughout our dominions, until 01 unless his1 ness the Hope decide to the contrary, be received and acknowledged as the Marchioness of Morelia, and that during his lifetime her reputed husband shall make due provision for he*r maintenance, and that after his death, should no decision have been come to by the court of Home upon her suit, Ahe shall inherit and enjoy that proportion of his lands and property which belongs to a wife under th© laws of tliis realmV' | Now, while .Betty bowed her thanks to their Majesties till the jewels on he<r | bodice rattled, and Morelia scowled till his face looked as black as a thundercloud above the mountains, the audience, whispering to each other, once more rose to disperse. Again th© queen held up'her hand, for the judgment was not yet finished. , ' f We have a question to ask the noble j Sir Peter Brome and the Dona Mar--1 garet, his affianced. Is it still their desire to take each other in marriage?" Now Peter looked at Margaret, and j Margaret looked at Peter, and'there was ) that in their eyes which both of them understood, for he answered; in a clear voice; i "Your majesty, that is the dearest wish of both of us." The queen smiled a little, then asked: "And do you, Senor John Casteil, consent and allow your daughter's marriage to this knight?" r ‘l do,, indeed/' he answered gravely. "Had it not been for this man here," and ho glanced with bitter hatred at Morelia, "they would have been united long ago, and to that end," he added with meaning, "such little property as I possessed has been made over to trustees in England for their benefit and that of their children. Therefore I am henceforward dependent upon their charity." "Good," said the queen. VThen one question remains to be put, and only one.- Is It your wish, both of you, that you should be wed before the single combat between the Marquis of Morelia and Sir Peter Brome? Remember, Dona Margaret, before you answer that in this event you . may soon be made a widow, and that if you postpone the ceremony you may never be a wife." Now Margaret and Peter spoke a few words together, then the former answered for them both. “Should my lord fall," she said in her sweet voice that trembled as she utter- ; ed the words, "in either case my heart j will be widowed and broken. Dot me live out ray days, therefore, bearing his name, that, knowing my deathless grief, none may thenceforth trouble mo with their love, who desire to remain his J bride in heaven." (To he continued in to-morrow's issue.)