VALEN the apartment, and throwing himself at his
TINE AND master’s feet, said: ‘May Heaven guard your

majesty from the base attempts of the wicked and
treacherous! I seek not the death of any man,
nor may I reveal the name of the person who has
intrusted to me a dreadful secret; but, in the most
solemn manner, I conjure your majesty to beware
of the designs of your empress; for that beautiful
and clever lady is faithless and disloyal, and is
even now planning your dethronement. _ Alas!
my heart is ready to burst with indignation, to
think that a lady of such charms, and the sister
of a great king, should become so dishonourable
and wicked.’

The emperor giving perfect faith to his favourite’s
tale could no longer restrain his fury ; and abruptly
leaving him, he rushed into the apartment of

the empress, and in the fiercest manner dragged

the fair Bellisance about the chamber by her
long and beautiful hair. ‘Alack! my dear lord,’ she
cried, ‘what causes you to commit this outrage?’
‘Base wretch!’ he exclaimed, ‘I am but too well
informed of your wicked proceedings ;’ then dash-
ing her with violence upon the ground, he left her
speechless. The attendants of the empress finding
her lying senseless on the floor, uttered loud
screams, which presently brought all the courtiers
into the chamber.

Every one was sorry for their amiable queen ;
and the nobles demanded an audience of the
emperor, to represent to him the wrongs he had
done to an honourable lady, with whom no one
before had ever found any fault. But the emperor
was still blinded with passion, and to their repre-
Sentations he answered: ‘Let no man dare to
defend a woman who has basely betrayed me.
She shall die; and they who interfere in her behalf
Shall partake in the dreadful punishment that
awaits treason,’

34