l, I would say," answered Mr Rose. "But men say she is
destined otherwhere."

"Whither, I pray you?" said Mr Holland.

"Unto a son of my Lord of Northumberland, as 'tis thought," he answered.

Whereupon, hearing the name of his enemy, as though touched by a match,
Dr Thorpe exploded.

"A son of my Lord of Northumberland, forsooth!" cried he. "Doth earth
bear no men but such as be sons of my Lord of Northumberland? Would the
rascal gather all the coronets of England on his head, and those of his
sons and daughters? 'Tis my Lord of Northumberland here, and there, and
everywhere--"

"Up-stairs and down-stairs, and in my Lady's chamber," sang Mr
Underhill, in a fine bass voice; for even in that musical age, he was
renowned for his proficiency in the art.

"In the King's chamber, certes," said Dr Thorpe. "I would with all mine
heart he could be thence profligated." [Driven out.]

"Methinks I can see one in the far distance that may do that," said Mr
Rose in his grave manner. "At the furthest, my Lord of Northumberland
will not live for ever."

"But how many sons hath he?" groaned Dr Thorpe. "`Such apple-tree, such
fruit' If the leopard leave ten or a dozen cubs, we be little better for
shooting him."

"My Lord Henry, allgates, is no leopard cub," said Mr Underhill. "I
know the boy; and a brave, gallant lad he is."

"Go on," said Dr Thorpe. "The rest?"

"My Lord of Warwick," pursued he, "is scarce the equal of his brother,
yet is he undeserving of the name of a leopard cub; and my Lord Ambrose,
as meseemeth, shall make a worthy honourable man. For what toucheth my
Lord Guilford, I think he is not unkindly, but he hath not wit equal to
his father; and as for Robin [the famous Earl of Leicester]--well, you
shall call him a leopard cub an' you will. He hath all his father's wit
and craft, and more than his father's grace and favour; and he looketh
to serve as a courtier."

"He shall carry on, then, in his father's place," said Dr Thorpe, with a
groan.

"Methinks he shall either make a right good man, or a right bad one,"
answered Mr Underhill. "He hath wit for aught."

"And who," said Dr Thorpe, "ever heard of a Dudley a good man?"

"Is that the very gentleman," asked Mrs Rose, "that did marry with the
great heir, Mistress Robsart?"

"Ay,--Mrs Amie," answered Mr Underhill; "and a gentle one she is. A
deal too good for Robin Dudley."

"Must we then look to my Lord Robert as the Cerberus of the