-my present lord,--did you never meet him, sir?"

"Often, my good mother; but you remember that I was little more than six
years old when he left England, and when he next saw me I was about two
and twenty: it would have been next to a miracle, or, at least, would
have required the eyes of love like yours, to have recalled me to memory
after such an absence."

"Well--to turn to my story--I succeeded, partly as his nearest relation,
but principally from an affection dearer than blood, to the fortune
of my grand-uncle, Mr. Talbot. Fate prospered with me: I rose in the
world's esteem and honour, and soon became prouder of my borrowed
appellation than of all the titles of my lordly line. Circumstances
occurring within the last week which it will be needless to relate,
but which may have the greatest influence over my future life, made it
necessary to do what I had once resolved I would never do,--prove my
identity and origin. Accordingly I came here to seek you."

"But why did not my honoured young master disclose himself last night?"
asked the steward.

"I might say," answered Clarence, "because I anticipated great pleasure
in a surprise; but I had another reason; it was this: I had heard of my
poor father's death, and I was painfully anxious to learn if at the last
he had testified any relenting towards me, and yet more so to ascertain
the manner of my unfortunate mother's fate. Both abroad and in England,
I had sought tidings of her everywhere, but in vain; in mentioning my
mother's retiring into a convent, you have explained the reason why my
efforts were so fruitless. With these two objects in view, I thought
myself more likely to learn the whole truth as a stranger than in my
proper person; for in the latter case, I deemed it probable that your
delicacy and kindness might tempt you to conceal whatever was calculated
to wound my feelings, and to exaggerate anything that might tend to
flatter or to soothe them. Thank Heaven, I now learn that I have a right
to the name my boyhood bore, and that my birth is not branded with the
foulest of private crimes, and that in death my father's heart yearned
to his too hasty but repentant son. Enough of this: I have now only to
request you, my friend, to accompany me, before daybreak on Wednesday
morning, to a place several miles hence. Your presence there will be
necessary to substantiate the proof for which I came hither."

"With all my heart, sir," cried the honest steward; "