returning, told me of it in his room at night, of the Christian
service in the mosque and the throning in the Alhambra.

"Now," he said, "after great affairs, our affairs! I have
had speech with the Marchioness of Moya."

"That is the Queen's friend?"

"Yes. Dona Beatrix de Boabdilla. We stood together
by a fountain, and when she said, `What can I do for you?'
I answered, `There is something.' Then while all went in
pageantry before us, I told her of the hermitage in the oak
wood and of the unhappy small tower, and of you and me
and those others, and what was done that day. Don Jayme,
I told it like a minstrel who believes what he sings! And
then I spoke of to-day. She is no puny soul, nor is she
in priest's grip. She acts from her own vision, not from
that of another. The Queen is no weak soul either! She
also has vision, but too often she lets the churchmen take
her vision from her. But Dona Beatrix is stronger there.
Well, she promises help if we can show her how to help."

I said, "I have been thinking. It seems to me that it
was wrong to come here and put my weight upon you."

"No!" he answered. "Did we not swear then, when
we were young men? And we needed no oaths neither.
Let such thoughts be.--I am going to the palace to-morrow,
and you with me. The King and the Queen ride with a
great train into Granada. But Dona Beatrix will excuse