and banners shone in the
setting sun."

"Guests!" echoed the earl; "well, is that so rare an honour that your
hearts should beat like village girls at a holiday? Ah, Isabel! look at
her blushes. Is it George of Clarence at last? Is it?"

"We see the Duke of Gloucester's cognizance," whispered Anne, "and our
own Nevile Bull. Perchance our cousin George, also, may--"

Here she was interrupted by the sound of the warder's horn, followed a
moment after by the roar of one of the bombards on the keep.

"At least," said Warwick, his face lighting up, "that signal announces
the coming of king's blood. We must honour it,--for it is our own. We
will go forth and meet our guests--your hand, countess."

And gravely and silently, and in deep but no longer gloomy thought,
Warwick descended from the terrace, followed by the fair sisters; and
who that could have looked upon that princely pair and those lovely
and radiant children, could have foreseen that in that hour, Fate, in
tempting the earl once more to action, was busy on their doom!

CHAPTER II. COUNCILS AND MUSINGS.

The lamp shone through the lattice of Warwick's chamber at the unwonted
hour of midnight, and the earl was still in deep commune with his
guests. The archbishop, whom Edward, alarmed by the state of the country
and the disaffection of his barons, had reluctantly commissioned to
mediate with Warwick, was, as we have before said, one of those men
peculiar to the early Church. There was nothing more in the title of
Archbishop of York than in that of the Bishop of Osnaburg (borne by the
royal son of George III.) [The late Duke of York.] to prevent him who
enjoyed it from leading armies, guiding States, or indulging pleasure.
But beneath the coxcombry of George Nevile, which was what he shared
most in common with the courtiers of the laity, there lurked a true
ecclesiastic's mind. He would have made in later times an admirable
Jesuit, and no doubt in his own time a very brilliant Pope. His objects
in his present mission were clear and perspicuous; any breach between
Warwick and the king must necessarily weaken his own position, and
the power of his House was essential to all his views. The object of
Gloucester in his intercession was less defined, but not less personal:
in smoothing the way to his brother's marriage with Isabel, he removed
all apparent obstacle to his own with Anne. And it is probable that
Richard, who, whatever his crimes, was far from ina