vening's halt, it did not need much tuning. Surprised as his
princely notions were at being commanded rather than requested to sing,
the sweet encouraging smile and tone of kind authority banished all
hesitation in complying, and he gave the ballad of the Clerks' Twa Sons
of Owsenford with much grace and sweetness, while the weakness of his
voice was compensated by the manlier strains with which Sir James
occasionally chimed in. Then, as Harry gave full meed of appreciative
praise and thanks, Sir James said, 'Lend me thine harp, Malcolm; I have
learnt thy song now; and thou, Harry, must hear and own how far our
Scottish minstrelsy exceeds thy boasted Chevy Chase.'

And forth rang in all the mellow beauty of his voice that most glorious
of ballads, the Battle of Otterburn, as much more grand than it had been
when he heard it from the glee-man or from Malcolm, as a magnificent
voice, patriotic enthusiasm, and cultivation and refinement, could make
it. He had lost himself and all around in the passion of the victory,
the pathos of the death. But no such bright look of thanks recompensed
him. Harry's face grew dark, and he growled, 'Douglas dead? Ay, he wins
more fields so than alive! I wish you would keep my old Shrewsbury
friend, Earl Tyneman, as you call him, at home.'

''Tis ill keeping the scholars in bounds when the master is away,'
returned Sir James.

'Well, by this time Tom has taught them how to transgress--sent them home
with the long scourge from robbing orchards in Anjou. He writes to me
almost with his foot in the stirrup, about to give Douglas and Buchan a
lesson. I shall make short halts and long stages south. This is too far
off for tidings.'

'True,' said Sir John, with a satirical curl of the lip; 'above all, when
fair ladies brook not to ink their ivory fingers.'

'There spake the envious fiend,' laughed the elder brother. 'John bears
not the sight of what he will not or cannot get.'

'I'll never be chained to a lady's litter, nor be forced to loiter till
her wimple is pinned,' retorted John. 'Nor do I like dames with two
husbands besides.'

'One would have cancelled the other, as grammarians tell us,' said Harry,
'if thy charms, John, had cancelled thine hook nose! I would they had,
ere her first marriage. Humfrey will burn his fingers there, and we must
hasten back to look after that among other things.--My Lord Marmion,' he
added, starting hastily up, and calling to him as he stoo