e than half-way up the hall. Maude had hardly
sat down when her next neighbour below accosted her in a familiar voice.

"Why, little Maude! I looked for thee in vain at yon board end, and I
was but now marvelling what had befallen thee. How earnest up hither?"
Maude smiled back at Bertram Lyngern.

"It pleased the Lady's Grace to make me of her especial following."

"Long life to the Lady!--Now will I cause thee to wit who be all my
friends. This on my left hand is Master Hugh Calverley, Mistress Maude
(for thou art now of good degree, and must be spoken unto belike); he is
mine especial friend, and a very knight-errant in succour of all unceli
[distressed, unhappy] damsels."

"And who is he that is next unto the Lady Custance?"

"On her right hand, the Lord Edward, and the Lord Richard at her left--
her brethren both."

Lord Richard pleased Maude. He was a winning little fellow of eight
years old. But Edward she disliked instinctively:--a tall, handsome boy
of twelve, but completely spoiled by the supercilious curl of his lip
and the proud carriage of his head.

"And the Lord Earl?" she whispered to Bertram, who pointed out his royal
master.

He was very tall, and extremely slender; not exactly ungraceful, but he
gave the impression that his arms and legs were perpetually in his way.
In fact, he was a nervous man, always self-conscious, and therefore
never natural nor at ease. His hair was dark auburn; and in his lower
lip there was a tremulous fulness which denoted at once great
good-nature and great indecision.

It is a singular fact that the four English Princes who have borne the
name of Edmund have all shared this character, of mingled gentleness and
weakness; but in each the weakness was more and the amiability less,
until the dual character terminated in this last of our royal Edmunds.
He was the obedient servant of any person who chose to take the trouble
to be his master. And there was one person who found it worth his while
to take that trouble. This individual--the Earl's youngest brother--
will come across our path presently.

The dinner to-day was more elaborate than usual, for there were several
guests present. Since the host was a Prince, the birds presented were
served whole; had both he and his guests been commoners, they would have
been "chopped on gobbets." More interesting than any fictitious
delineation on my part will be a genuine _menu_ of the period, "The
purveyance made f