The great lord's face turned almost as black as his beard with
fury, for he knew that the words amounted to a final refusal
of his suit.
'Thanks be to the Queen for her gracious words,' he said, restraining
himself with difficulty and looking anything but grateful, 'my
heart shall surely treasure them. And now I crave another boon,
namely, the royal leave to withdraw myself to my own poor cities
in the north till such time as the Queen shall say my suit nay
or yea. Mayhap,' he added, with a sneer, 'the Queen will be
pleased to visit me there, and to bring with her these stranger
lords,' and he scowled darkly towards us. 'It is but a poor
country and a rough, but we are a hardy race of mountaineers,
and there shall be gathered thirty thousand swordsmen to shout
a welcome to her.'
This speech, which was almost a declaration of rebellion, was
received in complete silence, but Nyleptha flushed up and answered
it with spirit.
'Oh, surely, Nasta, I will come, and the strange lords in my
train, and for every man of thy mountaineers who calls thee Prince,
will I bring two from the lowlands who call me Queen, and we
will see which is the staunchest breed. Till then farewell.'
The trumpets blared out, the Queens rose, and the great assembly
broke up in murmuring confusion, and for myself I went home with
a heavy heart foreseeing civil war.
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