At this she could no longer suppress the tears which came into
her dark eyes, and cried out she did not expect to find her
husband in love with another woman. Then my lord besought her
submission to the king; but she remained unshaken in the
resolution she had formed. She was ready to ask his majesty's
pardon for tiny passion or peevishness she had been guilty of,
but added, "the fire appearing in her eyes where the water was,"
she would never endure the presence of his mistress; and rather
than submit to such insult she would "put herself on board any
little vessel" and return to Lisbon.
Back went the chancellor, with a heavy heart and a troubled face,
to the king. He softened the queen's words as much as possible,
and assured his majesty her resistance to his will proceeded
"from the great passion of love she had for him, which
transported her beyond the limits of reason." But this excuse,
which should have rejoiced a husband's heart, only irritated his
majesty's temper. That night a violent quarrel took place
between the husband and wife, yet scarce more than bride and
bridegroom. When they had retired, the king--being inflamed with
the words of his courtiers, who assured him the dispute had now
resolved itself into a question of who should govern--reproached
the queen with stubbornness and want of duty; upon which she
answered by charging him with tyranny and lack of affection. One
word borrowed another, till, in his anger, he used threats when
she declared she would leave the kingdom.
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