t his father's son. Thou spokest of Montagu; he
seems to have been mighty cold to his brother's wrongs,--ever at the
court, ever sleek with Villein and Woodville."

"But the better to watch thy interests,--I so counselled him."

"A priest's counsel! Hate frankly or love freely is a knight's and
soldier's motto. A murrain on all doubledealing!"

The archbishop shrugged his shoulders, and applied to his nostrils a
small pouncet-box of dainty essences.

"Come hither, my haughty Isabel," said the prelate, as the demoiselles
now drew near. He placed his niece's arm within his own, and took her
aside to talk of Clarence; Richard remained with Anne, and the young
cousins were joined by Warwick. The earl noted in silence the soft
address of the eloquent prince, and his evident desire to please Anne.
And strange as it may seem, although he had hitherto regarded Richard
with admiration and affection, and although his pride for both daughters
coveted alliances not less than royal, yet, in contemplating Gloucester
for the first time as a probable suitor to his daughter (and his
favourite daughter), the anxiety of a father sharpened his penetration,
and placed the character of Richard before him in a different point
from that in which he had hitherto looked only on the fearless heart and
accomplished wit of his royal godson.

CHAPTER IV. THE DESTRIER.

It was three days afterwards that the earl, as, according to custom,
Anne knelt to him for his morning blessing in the oratory where the
Christian baron at matins and vespers offered up his simple worship,
drew her forth into the air, and said abruptly,--

"Wouldst thou be happy if Richard of Gloucester were thy betrothed?"

Anne started, and with more vivacity than usually belonged to her,
exclaimed, "Oh, no, my father!"

"This is no maiden's silly coyness, Anne? It is a plain yea or nay that
I ask from thee!"

"Nay, then," answered Anne, encouraged by her father's tone,--"nay, if
it so please you."

"It doth please me," said the earl, shortly; and after a pause, he
added, "Yes, I am well pleased. Richard gives promise of an illustrious
manhood; but, Anne, thou growest so like thy mother, that whenever my
pride seeks to see thee great, my heart steps in, and only prays that
it may see thee happy!--so much so, that I would not have given thee to
Clarence, whom it likes me well to view as Isabel's betrothed, for, to
her, greatness and bliss are one; and she is of fir