address
your poems! I swear to you, my brother, you will repay me dear for this
secret."

"It is no secret at all, sister," said the earl, with a quiet smile,
as he rose from the divan and saluted the duchess. "It is so little a
secret, that I shall recite this sonnet at the court festival this very
evening. I shall not, therefore, need your secrecy, Rosabella."

"So the fair Geraldine never shows herself to you unless in a dark veil,
black as the night," said the duchess, musingly. "But tell me, brother,
who then is the fair Geraldine? Of the ladies at court, I know not a
single one who bears that name."

"So you see from that, the whole is only a fiction--a creation of my
fancy."

"No, indeed," said she, smiling; "one does not write with such warmth
and enthusiasm unless he is really in love. You sing your lady-love, and
you give her another name. That is very plain. Do not deny it, Henry,
for I know indeed that you have a lady-love. It may be read in your
eyes. And look you! it is on account of this dear one that I have come
to you. It pains me, Henry, that you have no confidence in me, and
allow me no share in your joys and sorrows. Do you not know, then, how
tenderly I love you, my dear, noble brother?"

She put her arm tenderly round his neck, and wanted to kiss him. He bent
his head back, and laying his hand on her rosy, round chin, he looked
inquiringly and smilingly into her eyes.

"You want something of me, Rosabella!" said he. "I have never yet
enjoyed your tenderness and sisterly affection, except when you needed
my services."

"How suspicious you are!" cried she, with a charming pout, as she shook
his hand away from her face. "I have come from wholly disinterested
sympathy; partly to warn you, partly to find out whether your love is
perchance fixed upon a lady that would render my warning useless."

"Well, so you see, Rosabella, that I was right, and that your tenderness
was not aimless. Now, then, you want to warn me? I have yet to learn
that I need any warning."

"Nay, brother! For it would certainly be very dangerous and mischievous
for you, if your love should chance not to be in accordance with the
command of the king."

A momentary flush spread over Henry Howard's face, and his brow
darkened.

"With the king's command?" asked he, in astonishment. "I did not know
that Henry the Eighth could control my heart. And, at any rate, I would
never concede him that right. Say quickly, then, siste