pire against Warwick, but it would
ruin her in the eyes of England to conspire against the king's brother;
and Clarence and Warwick must be as one. This is not all! If our
sole aid was in giddy George, we should but buttress our House with a
weathercock. This connection is but as a part of the grand scheme on
which I have set my heart,--Clarence shall wed Isabel, Gloucester wed
Anne, and (let thy ambitious heart beat high, Montagu) the king's eldest
daughter shall wed thy son,--the male representative of our triple
honours. Ah, thine eyes sparkle now! Thus the whole royalty of England
shall centre in the Houses of Nevile and York; and the Woodvilles will
be caught and hampered in their own meshes, their resentment impotent;
for how can Elizabeth stir against us, if her daughter be betrothed
to the son of Montagu, the nephew of Warwick? Clarence, beloved by the
shallow commons; [Singular as it may seem to those who know not that
popularity is given to the vulgar qualities of men, and that where a
noble nature becomes popular (a rare occurrence), it is despite the
nobleness,--not because of it. Clarence was a popular idol even to the
time of his death.--Croyl., 562.] Gloucester, adored both by the army
and the Church; and Montagu and Warwick, the two great captains of the
age,--is not this a combination of power that may defy Fate?"

"O George!" said Montagu, admiringly, "what pity that the Church should
spoil such a statesman!"

"Thou art profane, Montagu; the Church spoils no man,--the Church
leads and guides ye all; and, mark, I look farther still. I would have
intimate league with France; I would strengthen ourselves with Spain
and the German Emperor; I would buy or seduce the votes of the sacred
college; I would have thy poor brother, whom thou so pitiest because he
has no son to marry a king's daughter, no daughter to wed with a king's
son--I would have thy unworthy brother, Montagu, the father of the whole
Christian world, and, from the chair of the Vatican, watch over the weal
of kingdoms. And now, seest thou why with to-morrow's sun I depart for
Calais, and lend my voice in aid of Clarence's for the first knot in
this complicated bond?"

"But will Warwick consent while the king opposes? Will his pride--"

"His pride serves us here; for so long as Clarence did not dare to
gainsay the king, Warwick in truth might well disdain to press his
daughter's hand upon living man. The king opposes, but with what right?
W