The Last Of The Barons, Volume 10.

ower, in which the queen, then near her confinement, was to reside during the campaign; while Gloucester was writing commissions to captains and barons to raise men; while Sir Anthony Lord Rivers was

ad said to Gloucester, "Time is, time was;" perhaps with some remembrance of the faith due to Sibyll, wakened up the more now that Katherine seemed actually to escape from the ideal image into the real woman,-to be easily wooed and won. But, certainly, Sibyll's

urning only served, by contrasting the pale and exquisite clearness of her complexion

ess. All her pride seemed to have gone; the very character of her face was changed: grave severity had

nued, "the step I have taken seems to thee unwomanly and too bold, know, at least, what was my design and my excuse. There was a time" (and Katherine blushed) "when, thou knowest

ut the broken troth," said

of York, himself pleaded for thy rivals. He proved to me that my disobedience-if, indeed, for the first time, a child of my House could disobey its chief-would be an external barrier to thy fortune; that while Salisbury was thy foe, he himself could not advance thy valiancy and merit; that it was with me to forward thy ambition, though I could not reward thy love; that from the hour I was another's, my mighty kinsmen themselves-for they were generous-would be the first to aid the duke in thy career. Hastings, even then I would have prayed, at least, to be the bride, not of man, but God. But I was trained-as what noble demoiselle is not?-

ings held his hand over his countenance, and only by the hea

el revenge, which would have changed sorrow and struggle to remorse and shame. And then, then-weak woman that I was!-I wrapped myself in scorn and pride. Nay, I felt deep anger-was it unjust?-that thou couldst so misread and so repay the heart which h

her hand, and stifled by his emotions. Katherine gazed at

en I have heard or seen or fancied one fault in thy maturer manhood, unworthy of thy bright youth, anger of myself has made me bitter and stern to thee; and if I taunted or chid or vexed thy pride, how little didst thou know that through the too shrewish humour spoke the too soft remembrance! For this-for this; and believing that through all, alas! my image was not replaced, when my h

and cold, he felt that Katherine Nevile-tender, gentle, frank without boldness, lofty without arrogance-had replaced the austere dame of Bonville, whom he half hated while he wooed,-oh, was it wonderful t

,-the thrilling interchange of hearts long divided, and now rushing into on

en Katherine could blush for the brother she had deemed the glory of her House! No, no" (she continued, as Hastings interrupted her with generous excuses for the earl, and allusion to the known slights he had received),-"no, no; make not his cause the worse by telling me that an unworthy pride, the grudge of some thwart to his policy or power, has made him f

atherine's face, and its aspect showed that her high and an

and kindred position with the earl to retire to

t the earl is prepared for a grave and lengthened war, and much I doubt whether Edward can resist his power; for the idolatry of the very land will swell the ranks of so dread a rebel. What if he succeed; what if we be driven into exile, as Henry's friends

Earl Salisbury, had he foreseen such disgrace, had disowned him as a son. And if there be defeat and flight and exile, wherever thou wanderest, Hastings, shall Katherine be found beside thee.

at, I have thy pledge?" s

sket; "now, for the first time since I bore the name of B