though Marmaduke was discreetly silent as to the very existence of
Sibyll. The earl, in the mean while, walked to and fro the chamber
with a light, careless stride, every moment pausing to laugh at the
frank simplicity of his kinsman, or to throw in some shrewd remark,
which he cast purposely in the rough Westmoreland dialect; for no man
ever attains to the popularity that rejoiced or accursed the Earl of
Warwick, without a tendency to broad and familiar humour, without a
certain commonplace of character in its shallower and more every-day
properties. This charm--always great in the great--Warwick possessed
to perfection; and in him--such was his native and unaffected majesty
of bearing, and such the splendour that surrounded his name--it never
seemed coarse or unfamiliar, but "everything he did became him best."
Marmaduke had just brought his narrative to a conclusion, when, after
a slight tap at the door, which Warwick did not hear, two fair young
forms bounded joyously in, and not seeing the stranger, threw
themselves upon Warwick's breast with the caressing familiarity of
infancy.

"Ah, Father," said the elder of these two girls, as Warwick's hand
smoothed her hair fondly, "you promised you would take us in your
barge to see the sports on the river, and now it will be too late."

"Make your peace with your young cousins here," said the earl, turning
to Marmaduke; "you will cost them an hour's joyaunce. This is my
eldest daughter, Isabel; and this soft-eyed, pale-cheeked damozel--too
loyal for a leaf of the red rose--is the Lady Anne."

The two girls had started from their father's arms at the first
address to Marmaduke, and their countenances had relapsed from their
caressing and childlike expression into all the stately demureness