66 high praise, ladye of Northumberland." Yes, churchman, his craftiness indeed outwore my discretion; but the curse of his own perjury will of itself revenge me." "Ladye of Northumberland," said De Lacy, with chilling courtesy, "had I become your lord, I had indeed been perjured, for my faith was vowed ere you reached the court. I pray you yield me more gentle judgment." 66 By the splendour of God!" cried the monarch," we are all unused to such wild communings, and can scarce compass them. How say you, my lord De Lacy? that your faith is vowed? beseech you, who holds your heart?" "The daughter of the lord D'Arley, my liege," replied the Gaul, confusedly, "the lady Eulelia.” "You are bewildered by your emotion, my lord De Lacy," exclaimed the maiden, advancing from beside her companion, on whom she had been leaning for support, and withdrawing her veil as she came forward; "I recognise not the bond." The cheek of De Lacy paled, and he turned his eye deprecatingly on the agitated Eulelia, who, subdued by the first violence of feeling, stood with crimsoned cheek and bent head before the king. "The plot thickens, my lords,” cried William, impatiently; "beseech you, help our poor judgment in its developementand you, ladye, wherefore spurn you thus the love of the noble De Lacy?" "Once, my liege," said the trembling maiden, as she bent her knee gracefully before the king, "I would have bartered all, save my fair fame, to have known it mine, but now it is far otherwise-the lord De Lacy has whispered love-vows to the fair Arela De Rossenville-he has plighted faith with the ladye of Northumberland-and-"again she blushed deeply, and added, in a yet more subdued voice," and now I hold his image to my heart no longer." "You do well, ladye," murmured the prince kindly, as he raised the fainting Eulelia from the floor, and led her towards her companion; "you are deserving of a better love." 66 Daughter of Lens," said the monarch, coldly and sternly, as he arose from his seat, "you will depart the court-we will ourselves look to the well-being of your children, and essay to guard them from the errors of their parents: my lord De Garennes, look you that on the morrow the ladye Judith of Northumberland be far from hence;" and then waving his hand to the nobles to retire, he passed it through the arm of the prince royal, and withdrew with him to an inner apartment. CHAP. XII. His years are young, but his experience old; He is complete in feature and in mind, With all good grace to grace a gentleman. SHAKESPEARE. A Prison Scene. WHILE the foregoing scene was acting in the royal chamber, the young Amaury De Touars bent his way to the dungeon of the captive Saxon; the weary lord of Ferrers challenged him as he passed, and receiving the countersign, cast not a second glance on him as he traversed the court of guard. The young noble felt his heart swell, with a sensation wholly new to him, as he stood impatiently watching the tardy operations of the swordsman, who slowly drew back the heavy bolts, and cast down the ponderous chain which secured the door of the dun geon. Had De Touars been less young in years, or less buoyant in hope, he might have passed that short space in moralization, for the scene was dark and appalling; but he yielded it not a thought as he stood awaiting entrance. At length the heavy door swung back on its rude hinges, and the light and well-knit form of the youthful soldier met the eye of the captive; there was a heightened fire in his eye, and a deeper glow upon his cheek, as holding the lamp above his head with his right hand, with the left he withdrew his barret-cap from his brow, and approached the Saxon with a courteous and respectful greeting. The fine and well-chiselled figure of the young De Touars struck admiration to the heart of the prisoner, and he replied to the graceful salutation by a silent but deep inclination of the head. "Noble Saxon," said the lord Amaury, as depositing his lamp in the distant recess of the deep and narrow aperture, which |