."

"Thou must not give me credit for having foreseen any danger in sending
a message by the hand of a servant; for Heaven knows I had no idea that
their plan was so complete as to take precautions to prevent the Queen
from being warned."

"Still, thou didst think it might be dangerous for me to come myself to
Westminster; therefore, something must have told thee that they did not
wish the Queen to know of her brother's and her son's arrest."

"Yes," he replied, "but thou dost give me credit that belongs not to
me. The only danger I foresaw was the affront it might give
Gloucester. I did not for one moment think that they would dare to
intercept a message to the Queen."

"Well, Frederick," said I, "thou seest now that they dare do anything.
When Richard even threatens to take the little Duke from his Mother, by
force, and that when they are in the Sanctuary, which has ever been
considered too holy for force to be used upon it, we need not be
surprised at any move his Highness makes. Harleston, thy prophecy is
being fulfilled."

"When did I make a prophecy?" asked my friend.

"Dost thou not remember when first we met, and thou didst say that
Richard, if he were ever made Protector, would be revenged upon those
who did oppose him?"

"Ah, yes, I do remember me; but since that night my mind and body have
been so occupied that I have not noticed my prediction reaching its
fulfilment. However," he continued, "but part of it, and that the
minor one, is now being played. If this part lasts not too long we
shall live to see the last and bloodiest of the prophecy. Do but, look
back over the history of our race and thou shalt see, wherever a man of
Richard's character--if ever such there has been--came into a position
of power he shone out with the brilliancy of a star. But the star they
all resembled was a falling one, and left a trail of blood behind it,
as it tumbled from its height."

CHAPTER XVII

AT THE SANCTUARY

That night my sleep was troubled with strange and fantastic dreams. I
know not how many different forms these delusions took; but through all
these tormenting and hideous scenes, in which I seemed to be playing a
troubled part, there was one person present which ever prevented the
final calamity from falling upon my head. No sooner was I saved from
certain destruction in one form than the dream was changed, gradually,
and, after passing through a cloudy stage, again was I struggling
aga