13.Edward was secretly piqued at this reply of Sir Walter；but he knew the privilege of a British subject and suppressed his resentment.“Experience，”says he，“has ever shown that lenity only serves to invite people to new crimes.Severity，at times is indispensably necessary，to compel subjects to submission by punishment and example.Go，”he cried to an officer，“lead these men to execution.”
14.At this instant，a sound of triumph was heard throughout the camp.The queen had just arrived with a powerful reinforcement of gallant troops.Sir Walter Mauny flew to receive her Majesty，and briefly informed her of the particulars respecting the six victims.As soon as she had been welcomed by Edward and his court，she desired a private audience.“My lord，”said she，“the question I am to enter upon is not touching the lives of a few mechanics；it respects the honor of the English nation；it respects the glory of my Edward，my husband，my king.You think you have sentenced six of your enemies to death.No，my lord，they have sentenced themselves；and their execution would be the execution of their own orders，not the orders of Edward.
15.”The stage on which they would suffer would be to them a stage of honor；but a stage of shame to Edward，a reproach to his conquests，an indelible disgrace to his name.Let us rather disappoint these haughty burghers，who wish to invest themselves with glory at our expense.We cannot wholly deprive them of the merit of a sacrificeso nobly intended；but we may cut them short of their desires.In the place of that death by which their glory would be consummated，let us bury them under gifts；let us put them to confusion with applauses.We shall thereby defeat them of that popular opinion，which never fails to attend those who suffer in the cause of virtue.“
16.”I am convinced；you have prevailed.Be it so，“replied Edward；“prevent the execution；have them instantly before us.”They came；when the Queen，with an aspect and accents diffusing sweetness，thus addressed them：“Natives of France，and inhabitants of Calais，you have put us to a vast expense of blood and treasure，in the recovery of our just and natural inheritance；but you have acted up to the best of an erroneous judgment，and we admire and honor in you that valor and virtue，by which we are so long kept out of our rightful possessions.You noble burghers！you excellent citizens！though you were tenfold the enemies of our person and our throne，we can feel nothing on our part save respect and affection for you.You have been sufficiently tested.
17.”We loose your chains；we snatch you from the scaffold，and we thank you for that lesson of humiliation which you teach us，when you show us，that excellence is not of blood，title，or station；that virtue gives a dignity superior to that of kings；and that those whom the Almighty forms with sentiments like yours，are justly and eminently raised above all human distinctions.You are now free to depart to your kinsfolk，your countrymen；to all those whose lives and liberties you have so nobly defended；provided you refuse not the tokens of our esteem.Yet we would rather bind you to ourselves by every endearing obligation；and，for this purpose，we offer to you your choice of the gifts and honors that Edward has to bestow.Rivals for fame，but always friends to virtue，we wish that England were entitled to call you her sons.““Ah，my country，”exclaimed Pierre；“it is now that I tremble for you.King Edward only wins our cities；but Philippa，the queen，conquers our hearts.”
（FROM BROOKE ）
中文阅读
1.克雷西战役①之后，爱德华三世包围了加莱，他用坚不可摧的防御工事建造营地，因此，法军想要突破包围或入城援助的多方努力最后都以失败告终了。城里的百姓在勇敢的地方长官--康特·维恩的领导下采取了极其有力的防御措施。自爱德华与他凯旋的军队兵临城下以来，法国已经严阵以待，等待迎接第二次的大获全胜了。整个欧洲都在关注着事态的发展。