tlawry was required by your prosecutor."

"Was it not Walter's duty to convey that proclamation to me?" said
Evellin. Williams replied, it was; he mentioned its date, and Evellin
knew it tallied with that of his marriage, at which time Walter more
earnestly conjured him to remain in the closest concealment. A heavy
groan burst from his heart, he rested his head on his folded hands, and
bade Williams proceed.

"Yet though a long term of years had elapsed," continued he, "so
unwilling was the King to proceed to extremities, that from term to term
the cause stood over, and the hungry vulture who longed to gorge your
possessions grew weary of acting the dove's part. I had long seen his
base nature. In vain did he dress his face and his person in the solemn
hue of mourning, or your false-hearted sister shed Hyaena tears,"--

"Tears! For what did she weep?"

"For your death."

"My death," said Evellin, starting up; "De Vallance knew I was alive."

"Aye, my noble master, and so did I too, or I should never have lived to
drag my bones to the banks of Windermere; grief would have killed me ere
I had gone half my journey. I caught the villain destroying your
letters; I saw the date of one; you were alive at Ribblesdale in
November, so could not have died the preceding month at Launceston."

"Who durst affirm that I did?"

"Walter De Vallance.--He claimed an audience of the King, and shewed an
attested certificate, stating that Allan Neville had there deceased. An
account was subjoined of his person, his way of living, and the time he
had resided in that borough, all made to correspond with your likeness
and history. I had followed him to the door of the privy-chamber, and
waited among the pages. Methinks I see him now screw up his hypocritical
face and wink his eyes, as if he wept." "Your Majesty," said he, "will
be no more persecuted with my suit for my ill-fated brother-in-law.--Lady
Eleanor commends her duty to the Queen.--Alas, I fear the same stroke
will leave me friendless and a widower.--Never was such love." He went
on, sobbing aloud--"A broken heart brought him to his grave.--One, only
error; else the very mirror of honourable faculties." Thus he stood as
one beside himself with anguish, holding out the certificate, which a
gentleman read to His Highness. And then, my noble master, you might
have seen how true pity looks by the side of its vile counterfeit. "I
knew Allan Neville well," said the King, "and I once