a furtive and stealthy expression, that did much to obtain for her the
popular character of falseness and self-seeking. Her displeasure was yet
more increased by observing the ill-concealed smile which the taunt had
called forth.

"Nay, my lord," she said, after a short pause, "we value the peace of
our roiaulme too much for so high an ambition. Were we to make a brother
even the prince of the closheys, we should disappoint the hopes of a
Nevile."

The earl disdained pursuing the war of words, and answering coldly, "The
Neviles are more famous for making ingrates than asking favours. I leave
your Highness to the closheys"--turned away, and strode towards the
king, who, at the opposite end of the garden, was reclining on a bench
beside a lady, in whose ear, to judge by her downcast and blushing
cheek, he was breathing no unwelcome whispers.

"Mort-Dieu!" muttered the earl, who was singularly exempt, himself, from
the amorous follies of the day, and eyed them with so much contempt that
it often obscured his natural downright penetration into character, and
never more than when it led him afterwards to underrate the talents of
Edward IV.,--"Mort-Dieu! if, an hour before the battle of Towton, some
wizard had shown me in his glass this glimpse of the gardens of the
Tower, that giglet for a queen, and that squire of dames for a king, I
had not slain my black destrier (poor Malech!), that I might conquer or
die for Edward Earl of March."

"But see!" said the lady, looking up from the enamoured and conquering
eyes of the king, "art thou not ashamed, my lord?--the grim earl comes
to chide thee for thy faithlessness to thy queen, whom he loves so
well."

"Pasque-Dieu! as my cousin Louis of France says or swears," answered
the king, with an evident petulance in his altered voice, "I would that
Warwick could be only worn with one's armour! I would as lief try to
kiss through my vizor as hear him talk of glory and Towton, and King
John and poor Edward II., because I am not always in mail. Go! leave
us, sweet bonnibel! we must brave the bear alone!" The lady inclined her
head, drew her hood round her face, and striking into the contrary path
from that in which Warwick was slowly striding, gained the group round
the queen, whose apparent freedom from jealousy, the consequence of
cold affections and prudent calculation, made one principal cause of the
empire she held over the powerful mind, but the indolent temper, of the
gay an