As for thy hideous fleur de lis, an' thy master had no better device, he
would not long rest the king's jeweller."

"I have no heart for the pearls," said Margaret, abruptly; "they are
at best pale and sicklied. What hast thou of bolder ornament and more
dazzling lustrousness?"

"These emeralds, it is said, were once among the jewels of the great
House of Burgundy," observed Nicholas, slowly, and fixing his keen,
sagacious look on the royal purchasers.

"Of Burgundy!" exclaimed the queen.

"It is true," said the Duchess of Bedford, looking at the ornament with
care, and slightly colouring,--for in fact the jewels had been a present
from Philip the Good to the Duke of Bedford, and the exigencies of the
civil wars had led, some time since, first to their mortgage, or rather
pawn, and then to their sale.

The princess passed her arm affectionately round Jacquetta's neck, and
said, "If you leave me my choice, I will have none but these emeralds."

The two elder ladies exchanged looks and smiles. "Hast thou travelled,
young man?" asked the duchess.

"Not in foreign parts, gracious lady, but I have lived much with those
who have been great wanderers."

"Ah, and what say they of the ancient friends of mine House, the princes
of Burgundy?"

"Lady, all men agree that a nobler prince and a juster than Duke Philip
never reigned over brave men; and those who have seen the wisdom of his
rule, grieve sorely to think so excellent and mighty a lord should have
trouble brought to his old age by the turbulence of his son, the Count
of Charolois."

Again Margaret's fair brow lowered, and the duchess hastened to
answer, "The disputes between princes, young man, can never be rightly
understood by such as thou and thy friends. The Count of Charolois is
a noble gentleman; and fire in youth will break out. Richard the Lion
Hearted of England was not less puissant a king for the troubles he
occasioned to his sire when prince."

Alwyn bit his lip, to restrain a reply that might not have been well
received; and the queen, putting aside the emeralds and a few other
trinkets, said, smilingly, to the duchess, "Shall the king pay for
these, or have thy learned men yet discovered the great secret?"

"Nay, wicked child," said the duchess, "thou lovest to banter me; and
truth to say, more gold has been melted in the crucible than as yet
promises ever to come out of it; but my new alchemist, Master Warner,
seems to have gone nearer to the