say nought. Man's body is
fair prey to cruelty, and what a king spares to-day the worm shall gnaw
to-morrow. But mine invention--my Eureka--look!" and stepping aside, he
lifted a cloth, and exhibited the mangled remains of the unhappy model.

"I am forbid to restore it," continued Adam, dolefully. "I must work day
and night to make gold, and the gold comes not; and my only change of
toil is when the queen bids me construct little puppet-boxes for her
children! How, then, can I change the world? And thou," he added,
doubtingly and eagerly--"thou, with thy plots and stratagem, and active
demagogy, thinkest thou that thou hast changed the world, or extracted
one drop of evil out of the mixture of gall and hyssop which man is born
to drink?"

Hilyard was silent, and the two world-betterers--the philosopher and the
demagogue--gazed on each other, half in sympathy, half in contempt. At
last Robin said,--

"Mine old friend, hope sustains us both; and in the wilderness we yet
behold the Pisgah! But to my business. Doubtless thou art permitted to
visit Henry in his prison."

"Not so," replied Adam; "and for the rest, since I now eat King Edward's
bread, and enjoy what they call his protection, ill would it beseem me
to lend myself to plots against his throne."

"Ah, man, man, man," exclaimed Hilyard, bitterly, "thou art like all the
rest,--scholar or serf, the same slave; a king's smile bribes thee from
a people's service!"

Before Adam could reply, a panel in the wainscot slid back and the bald
head of a friar peered into the room. "Son Adam," said the holy man,
"I crave your company an instant, oro vestrem aurem;" and with this
abominable piece of Latinity the friar vanished.

With a resigned and mournful shrug of the shoulders, Adam walked across
the room, when Hilyard, arresting his progress, said, crossing himself,
and in a subdued and fearful whisper, "Is not that Friar Bungey, the
notable magician?"

"Magician or not," answered Warner, with a lip of inexpressible contempt
and a heavy sigh, "God pardon his mother for giving birth to such
a numskull!" and with this pious and charitable ejaculation Adam
disappeared in the adjoining chamber, appropriated to the friar.

"Hum," soliloquized Hilyard, "they say that Friar Bungey is employed
by the witch duchess in everlasting diabolisms against her foes. A peep
into his den might suffice me for a stirring tale to the people."

No sooner did this daring desire arise th