his face
buried in her lap. Amyas could see that his whole form was quivering
with stifled emotion. Their mother was just finishing the last words
of a well-known text,--"for my sake, and the Gospel's, shall receive a
hundred-fold in this present life, fathers, and mothers, and brothers,
and sisters."

"But not a wife!" interrupted Frank, with a voice stifled with sobs;
"that was too precious a gift for even Him to promise to those who gave
up a first love for His sake!"

"And yet," said he, after a moment's silence, "has He not heaped me with
blessings enough already, that I must repine and rage at His refusing me
one more, even though that one be--No, mother! I am your son, and God's;
and you shall know it, even though Amyas never does!" And he looked up
with his clear blue eyes and white forehead; and his face was as the
face of an angel.

Both of them saw that Amyas was present, and started and blushed. His
mother motioned him away with her eyes, and he went quietly out, as one
stunned. Why had his name been mentioned?

Love, cunning love, told him all at once. This was the meaning of last
night's canzonet! This was why its words had seemed to fit his own heart
so well! His brother was his rival. And he had been telling him all his
love last night. What a stupid brute he was! How it must have made poor
Frank wince! And then Frank had listened so kindly; even bid him God
speed in his suit. What a gentleman old Frank was, to be sure! No wonder
the queen was so fond of him, and all the Court ladies!--Why, if it
came to that, what wonder if Rose Salterne should be fond of him too?
Hey-day! "That would be a pretty fish to find in my net when I come to
haul it!" quoth Amyas to himself, as he paced the garden; and clutching
desperately hold of his locks with both hands, as if to hold his poor
confused head on its shoulders, he strode and tramped up and down the
shell-paved garden walks for a full half hour, till Frank's voice (as
cheerful as ever, though he more than suspected all) called him.

"Come in to breakfast, lad; and stop grinding and creaking upon those
miserable limpets, before thou hast set every tooth in my head on edge!"

Amyas, whether by dint of holding his head straight, or by higher means,
had got the thoughts of the said head straight enough by this time; and
in he came, and fell to upon the broiled fish and strong ale, with a
sort of fury, as determined to do his duty to the utmost in all matters