as of youth, while thou
hast no memory save the child's, enter on the Realm of Peace."

"I cannot, I dare not, I cannot--ah, ask me not," said poor Edith,
covering her face with her hands.

Those hands the Queen gently withdrew; and looking steadfastly in the
changeful and half-averted face, she said mournfully, "Is it so, my
godchild? and is thy heart set on the hopes of earth--thy dreams on the
love of man?"

"Nay," answered Edith, equivocating; "but I have promised not to take the
veil."

"Promised to Hilda?"

"Hilda," exclaimed Edith readily, "would never consent to it. Thou
knowest her strong nature, her distaste to--to----"

"The laws of our holy Church--I do; and for that reason it is, mainly,
that I join with the King in seeking to abstract thee from her influence.
But it is not Hilda that thou hast promised?"

Edith hung her head.

"Is it to woman or to man?"

Before Edith could answer the door from the ante-room opened gently, but
without the usual ceremony, and Harold entered. His quick quiet eye
embraced both forms, and curbed Edith's young impulse, which made her
start from her seat, and advance joyously towards him as a protector.

"Fair day to thee, my sister," said the Earl, advancing; "and pardon, if
I break thus rudely on thy leisure; for few are the moments when beggar
and Benedictine leave thee free to receive thy brother."

"Dost thou reproach me, Harold?"

"No, Heaven forfend!" replied the Earl, cordially, and with a look at
once of pity and admiration; "for thou art one of the few, in this court
of simulators, sincere and true; and it pleases thee to serve the Divine
Power in thy way, as it pleases me to serve Him in mine."

"Thine, Harold?" said the Queen, shaking her head, but with a look of
some human pride and fondness in her fair face.

"Mine; as I learned it from thee when I was thy pupil, Edith; when to
those studies in which thou didst precede me, thou first didst lure me
from sport and pastime; and from thee I learned to glow over the deeds of
Greek and Roman, and say, 'They lived and died as men; like them may I
live and die!'"

"Oh, true--too true!" said the Queen, with a sigh; "and I am to blame
grievously that I did so pervert to earth a mind that might otherwise
have learned holier examples;--nay, smile not with that haughty lip, my
brother; for believe me--yea, believe me--there is more true valour in
the life of one patient martyr than in the victories of Caes