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"
"And," added the other, "upon every aid which the wealth and
power of Majorca can bestow."
"Touching the hundred thousand crowns in which I stand your
debtor," continued Pedro carelessly, "it can no doubt----"
"Not a word, sire, not a word!" cried the prince. "It is not now
when you are in grief that I would vex your mind with such base
and sordid matters. I have said once and forever that I am yours
with every bow-string of my army and every florin in my coffers."
"Ah! here is indeed a mirror of chivalry," said Don Pedro. "I
think, Sir Fernando, since the prince's bounty is stretched so
far, that we may make further use of his gracious goodness to the
extent of fifty thousand crowns. Good Sir William Felton, here,
will doubtless settle the matter with you."
The stout old English counsellor looked somewhat blank at this
prompt acceptance of his master's bounty.
"If it please you, sire," he said, "the public funds are at their
lowest, seeing that I have paid twelve thousand men of the
companies, and the new taxes--the hearth-tax and the
wine-tax--not yet come in.


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