"And yet once more," she said, fixing her eyes upon him, as if to watch the expression of his face while she put her test-question. "Yonder writ of excommunication:--was it verily and indeed forth against Sir Ademar de Milford, the Sunday afore I was wed?" Did she expect to read any admission of fraud in that handsome passionless face? If she did, she found herself utterly mistaken. "Fair Cousin, have ye so unworthy thoughts of your friends? Certes, the writ was forth." "My friends! where be my friends?--The writ was forth?" "Assuredly." "Then wreak your will--you and Satan together!" "How conceive we by that, fair Cousin?" inquired the King rather satirically. "Have your will, man!" she said wearily, as if she were tired of keeping measures with him any longer. "Things be sorely acrazed in this world. If there be an other world where they be set straight, there shall be some travail to iron out the creases." "Signify you that you will sign this paper?" Isabel passed the paper quietly to Henry. "What matter what I signify, or what I sign? If my name must needs be writ up in black soot, it were as well done on that paper as an other." The King laid the document on the table, where the standish was already, and with much show of courtesy, offered a pen to his prisoner. She knelt down to sign, holding the pen a moment idle in her fingers. "What a little matter art thou!" she said, soliloquising dreamily. "A grey goose quill! Yet on one stroke of thee all my coming life hangeth." The pen was lifted to sign the fatal document, when the proceedings were stopped by an unexpected little wail from something in Maude's arms. Custance dashed down the quill, and springing up, took her little Alianora to her bosom. "Sign away thy birthright, my star, my dove! Wretched mother that I am, to dream thereof! How could I ever meet thine innocent eyes again? I will not sign it!" "As it like you, fair Cousin," was the quiet response of that voice gifted with such inexplicable power. "For us, we have striven but to avance you unto your better estate. 'Tis nought to us whether ye sign or no." She hesitated; she wavered; she held out the child to Maude. "I would but add," observed the King, "that yonder babe is no wise touched by your signing of that paper. Her birthright is gone already; or more verily, she had never none to go. Your name unto yon paper maketh no diversity thereabout."