l was placed.
At his right hand sat Jacquetta, Duchess of Bedford, the queen's mother;
at his left, Prince Richard. The duchess, though not without the remains
of beauty, had a stern, haughty, scornful expression in her sharp
aquiline features, compressed lips, and imperious eye. The paleness of
her complexion, and the careworn, anxious lines of her countenance, were
ascribed by the vulgar to studies of no holy cast. Her reputation for
sorcery and witchcraft was daily increasing, and served well the purpose
of the discontented barons, whom the rise of her children mortified and
enraged.

"Approach, Master--What say you his name is, Richard?"

"Adam Warner," replied the sweet voice of the Duke of Gloucester; "of
excellent skill in the mathematics."

"Approach, sir, and show us the nature of this notable invention."

"I desire nothing better, my lord king," said Adam, boldly; "but first
let me crave a small modicum of fuel. Fire, which is the life of
the world, as the wise of old held it, is also the soul of this, my
mechanical."

"Peradventure," whispered the duchess, "the wizard desireth to consume
us."

"More likely," replied Richard, in the same undertone, "to consume
whatever of treasonable nature may lurk concealed in his engine."

"True," said Edward, and then, speaking aloud, "Master Warner," he
added, "put thy puppet to its purpose without fire,--we will it."

"It is impossible, my lord," said Adam, with a lofty smile. "Science and
nature are more powerful than a king's word."

"Do not say that in public, my friend," said Edward, dryly, "or we must
hang thee! I would not my subjects were told anything so treasonable.
Howbeit, to give thee no excuse in failure, thou shalt have what thou
needest."

"But surely not in our presence," exclaimed the duchess. "This may be a
device of the Lancastrians for our perdition."

"As you please, belle mere," said Edward, and he motioned to a
gentleman, who stood a few paces behind his chair, and who, from the
entrance of the mechanician, had seemed to observe him with intense
interest. "Master Nevile, attend this wise man; supply his wants, and
hark, in thy ear, watch well that he abstract nothing from the womb of
his engine; observe what he doeth; be all eyes." Marmaduke bowed low to
conceal his change of countenance, and, stepping forward, made a sign to
Adam to follow him.

"Go also, Catesby," said Richard to his follower, who had taken his post
near him, "and