rasted
with his haughtiness to his peers, had well played amongst his knights
the part of host, and said, in a whisper, "Edward is in a happy
mood--let us lose it not. Will you trust me to settle all differences
ere he sleep? Two proud men never can agree without a third of a gentler
temper."

"You are right," said Warwick, smiling; "yet the danger is that I should
rather concede too much than be too stubborn. But look you, all I demand
is satisfaction to mine own honour and faith to the army I disbanded in
the king's name."

"All!" muttered the archbishop, as he turned away, "but that call is
everything to provoke quarrel for you, and nothing to bring power to
me!"

The earl and the archbishop attended the king to his chamber, and after
Edward was served with the parting refection, or livery, the earl said,
with his most open smile, "Sire, there are yet affairs between us; whom
will you confer with,--me or the archbishop?"

"Oh, the archbishop, by all means, fair cousin," cried Edward, no less
frankly; "for if you and I are left alone, the Saints help both of
us!--when flint and steel meet, fire flies, and the house may burn."

The earl half smiled at the candour, half sighed at the levity, of the
royal answer, and silently left the room. The king, drawing round him
his loose dressing-robe, threw himself upon the gorgeous coverlid of the
bed, and lying at lazy length, motioned to the prelate to seat himself
at the foot. The archbishop obeyed. Edward raised himself on his elbow,
and, by the light of seven gigantic tapers, set in sconces of massive
silver, the priest and the king gravely gazed on each other without
speaking.

At last Edward, bursting into his hale, clear, silvery laugh, said,
"Confess, dear sir and cousin,--confess that we are like two skilful
masters of Italian fence, each fearing to lay himself open by commencing
the attack."

"Certes," quoth the archbishop, "your Grace over-estimates my vanity, in
opining that I deemed myself equal to so grand a duello. If there were
dispute between us, I should only win by baring my bosom."

The king's bow-like lip curved with a slight sneer, quickly replaced by
a serious and earnest expression. "Let us leave word-making, and to
the point, George. Warwick is displeased because I will not abandon my
wife's kindred; you, with more reason, because I have taken from your
hands the chancellor's great seal--"

"For myself, I humbly answer that your Grace errs.