e path of Hastings, as, in his robes of state, he issued from the
palace. Their eyes met, and both changed colour.

"So, my lord chamberlain," said the dame, sarcastically, "the Count de
la Roche is, I hear, consigned to your especial charge."

"A charge the chamberlain cannot refuse, and which William Hastings does
not covet."

"A king had never asked Montagu and Warwick to consider amongst their
duties any charge they had deemed dishonouring."

"Dishonouring, Lady Bonville!" exclaimed Hastings, with a bent brow and
a flushed cheek,--"neither Montagu nor Warwick had, with safety, applied
to me the word that has just passed your lips."

"I crave your pardon," answered Katherine, bitterly. "Mine articles
of faith in men's honour are obsolete or heretical. I had deemed it
dishonouring in a noble nature to countenance insult to a noble enemy
in his absence. I had deemed it dishonouring in a brave soldier, a
well-born gentleman (now from his valiantness, merit, and wisdom
become a puissant and dreaded lord), to sink into that lackeydom and
varletaille which falsehood and cringing have stablished in these walls,
and baptized under the name of 'courtiers.' Better had Katherine de
Bonville esteemed Lord Hastings had he rather fallen under a king's
displeasure than debased his better self to a Woodville's dastard
schemings."

"Lady, you are cruel and unjust, like all your haughty race; and idle
were reply to one who, of all persons, should have judged me better.
For the rest, if this mummery humbles Lord Warwick, gramercy! there
is nothing in my memory that should make my share in it a gall to my
conscience; nor do I owe the Neviles so large a gratitude, that rather
than fret the pile of their pride, I should throw down the scaffolding
on which my fearless step hath clomb to as fair a height, and one
perhaps that may overlook as long a posterity, as the best baron that
ever quartered the Raven Eagle and the Dun Bull. But," resumed Hastings,
with a withering sarcasm, "doubtless the Lady de Bonville more admires
the happy lord who holds himself, by right of pedigree, superior to
all things that make the statesman wise, the scholar learned, and the
soldier famous. Way there--back, gentles,"--and Hastings turned to the
crowd behind,--"way there, for my lord of Harrington and Bonville!"

The bystanders smiled at each other as they obeyed; and a heavy,
shambling, graceless man, dressed in the most exaggerated fopperies of
the