a voice that sounded cold and stern. "What service wouldst thou
ask me to render thee? Speak! Nay! I pray thee, speak."

"Indeed, good my lord," said Sibyll, conquering her confusion; and,
lifting her wimple, her dark blue eyes met those bent on her, with
fearless truth and innocence, "I knew not, and you will believe me,--I
knew not till this moment that I had such cause for gratitude to the
Lord Hastings. I sought you but on the behalf of my father, Master Adam
Warner, who would fain have the permission accorded to other scholars,
to see the Lord Henry of Windsor, who was gracious to him in other days,
and to while the duress of that princely captive with the show of a
quaint instrument he has invented."

"Doubtless," answered Hastings, who deserved his character (rare in that
day) for humanity and mildness--"doubt less it will pleasure me, nor
offend his grace the king, to show all courtesy and indulgence to the
unhappy gentleman and lord, whom the weal of England condemns us to hold
incarcerate. I have heard of thy father, maiden, an honest and simple
man, in whom we need not fear a conspirator; and of thee, young
mistress, I have heard also, since we parted."

"Of me, noble sir?"

"Of thee," said Hastings, with a smile; and, placing a seat for her,
he took from the table an illuminated manuscript. "I have to thank thy
friend Master Alwyn for procuring me this treasure!"

"What, my lord!" said Sibyll, and her eyes glistened, "were you--you
the--the--"

"The fortunate person whom Alwyn has enriched at so slight a cost? Yes.
Do not grudge me my good fortune in this. Thou hast nobler treasures,
methinks, to bestow on another!"

"My good lord!"

"Nay, I must not distress thee. And the young gentleman has a fair face;
may it bespeak a true heart!"

These words gave Sibyll an emotion of strange delight. They seemed
spoken sadly, they seemed to betoken a jealous sorrow; they awoke
the strange, wayward woman-feeling, which is pleased at the pain that
betrays the woman's influence: the girl's rosy lips smiled maliciously.
Hastings watched her, and her face was so radiant with that rare gleam
of secret happiness,--so fresh, so young, so pure, and withal so arch
and captivating, that hackneyed and jaded as he was in the vulgar
pursuit of pleasure, the sight moved better and tenderer feelings than
those of the sensualist. "Yes," he muttered to himself, "there are some
toys it were a sin to sport with and cast away am