yearned my
heart towards the youth. It seemed as though I must cry out to him. To
see him thus after five weary years; to be so near him, and yet unable
to touch even the latchet of his shoes, or to hear his voice calling my
name. I trembled and was blind with longing. When at last I did look
up, he said again, "Surely, thou wilt be advised?"

The earl leaned with his forehead set in his clasped hands, and
by-and-by he said,

"It is impossible. Would that I could!"

And the lad said,

"Nay, it is not impossible. Thou canst save thine own life with a word."

And Lord Denbeigh answered him:

"My life is not worth even a word," and he did not lift up his forehead
from his hands.

Then said my master, "Thy life may be worth less than naught to thee,
but to others its price is above their own." And again he was as pale as
any girl.

And he spoke again and said, "Thou wilt not go? Thou wilt be warned?"

And again did the man answer, saying, "Impossible."

Then saith my master,

"Lord Denbeigh, if thou goest to London on the morrow, I will follow
thee there. Nay, thou canst not prevent me. And think you my sister's
heart will be warmer towards thee if her brother's blood be spilled at
thy behest?"

And the earl sat with his stern eyes on the lad, and he said,

"Thy blood will ne'er be spent at my behest. I do forbid thee to follow
me."

And the lad said,

"I am not to be forbidden." So they stood and looked at one another. And
all at once the boy put out his hand ('twas my lady's very gesture) and
took the earl's sleeve, and saith he in a gentle voice,

"Thou wert a man after God's own heart did not thou let Satan consort
with thee."

Then turned Lord Denbeigh with a laugh that was not merry. And he saith,

"As thou quotest Scripture to me, select thy texts with greater care.
Even to my mind there doth come one more suiting; for even as Job, 'I am
a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.'"

Then saith the lad, still with his hand on the man's arm,

"Is it not the more to thy discredit that thou, who couldst be brother
to Christ, do make brothers of dragons? Verily, my lord, I am bold
through my sister, for methinks it is thus that she would have answered
thee."

And the man turned away as though to hide his face.

III.

Lord Robert spoke with Lord Denbeigh at some length, but he was not to
be turned from his purpose (which, methought, must be a very strange and
grewsome one, judging by t