mp within her chamber, he could see distinctly that
she was weeping. "Ah, Anne," muttered the amorous king, "would that I
were by to kiss away those tears!" While yet the unholy wish murmured on
his lips, the lady rose. The fair hand, that seemed almost transparent
in the moonlight, closed the casement; and though the light lingered for
some minutes ere it left the dark walls of the castle without other sign
of life than the step of the sentry, Anne was visible no more.

"Madness! madness! madness!" again murmured the king. "These Neviles are
fatal to me in all ways,--in hatred or in love!"

BOOK VIII. IN WHICH THE LAST LINK BETWEEN KING-MAKER AND KING SNAPS
ASUNDER.

CHAPTER I. THE LADY ANNE VISITS THE COURT.

It was some weeks after the date of the events last recorded. The storm
that hung over the destinies of King Edward was dispersed for the hour,
though the scattered clouds still darkened the horizon: the Earl of
Warwick had defeated the Lancastrians on the frontier, [Croyl. 552] and
their leader had perished on the scaffold; but Edward's mighty sword had
not shone in the battle. Chained by an attraction yet more powerful than
slaughter, he had lingered at Middleham, while Warwick led his army to
York; and when the earl arrived at the capital of Edward's ancestral
duchy, he found that the able and active Hastings--having heard, even
before he reached the Duke of Gloucester's camp, of Edward's apparent
seizure by the earl and the march to Middleham--had deemed it best
to halt at York, and to summon in all haste a council of such of the
knights and barons as either love to the king or envy to Warwick could
collect. The report was general that Edward was retained against his
will at Middleham; and this rumour Hastings gravely demanded Warwick,
on the arrival of the latter at York, to disprove. The earl, to clear
himself from a suspicion that impeded all his military movements,
despatched Lord Montagu to Middleham, who returned not only with the
king, but the countess and her daughters, whom Edward, under pretence
of proving the complete amity that existed between Warwick and himself,
carried in his train. The king's appearance at York reconciled all
differences; but he suffered Warwick to march alone against the enemy,
and not till after the decisive victory, which left his reign for a
while without an open foe, did he return to London.

Thither the earl, by the advice of his friends, also repaired, a