alarm them," said Sommers, in a low
tone.

They turned the corner of the cloisters; and there, near the entrance of
the chapel, stood the youthful pair--the Fair Geraldine half reclining
upon the earl's breast, while his arm encircled her slender waist.

"There!" whispered the jester, chuckling maliciously, "there! did I speak
falsely--eh, gossip?"

Richmond laid his hand upon his sword.

"Hist!" said the jester; "hear what the Fair Geraldine has to say."

"We must meet no more thus, Surrey," she murmured:

"I feel I was wrong in granting the interview, but I could not help it.
If, when a few more years have flown over your head, your heart remains
unchanged."

"It will never change!" interrupted Surrey. "I here solemnly pledge my
troth to you."

"And I return the pledge," replied the Fair Geraldine earnestly. "I vow
to be yours, and yours only."

"Would that Richmond could hear your vow!" said Surrey; "it would
extinguish his hopes."

"He has heard it!" cried the duke, advancing. "But his hopes are not yet
extinguished."

The Fair Geraldine uttered a slight scream, and disengaged herself from
the earl.

"Richmond, you have acted unworthily in thus playing the spy," said
Surrey angrily.

"None but a spy can surprise interviews like these," rejoined Richmond
bitterly. "The Lady Elizabeth Fitzgerald had better have kept her
chamber, than come here to plight her troth with a boy, who will change
his mind before his beard is grown."

"Your grace shall find the boy man enough to avenge an insult," rejoined
Surrey sternly.

"I am glad to hear it," returned the duke. "Lady Elizabeth Fitzgerald, I
must pray you to return to your lodgings. The king's jester will attend
you. This way, my lord."

Too much exasperated to hesitate, Surrey followed the duke down the
passage, and the next moment the clashing of swords was heard. The Fair
Geraldine screamed loudly, and Will Sommers began to think the jest had
been carried too far.

"What is to be done?" he cried. "If the king hears of this quarrel, he
will assuredly place the Earl of Surrey in arrest. I now repent having
brought the duke here."

"You acted most maliciously," cried the Fair Geraldine; "but fly, and
prevent further mischief."

Thus urged, the jester ran towards the lower ward, and finding an
officer of the guard and a couple of halberdiers near the entrance
of St. George's Chapel, told them what was taking place, and they
immediately hastened