whenever my pride seeks to see thee great, my heart steps in, and only
prays that it may see thee happy!--so much so, that I would not have
given thee to Clarence, whom it likes me well to view as Isabel's
betrothed, for, to her, greatness and bliss are one; and she is of
firm nature, and can rule in her own house; but thou--where out of
romaunt can I find a lord loving enough for thee, soft child?"

Inexpressibly affected, Anne threw herself on her father's breast and
wept. He caressed and soothed her fondly; and before her emotion was
well over, Gloucester and Isabel joined them.

"My fair cousin," said the duke, "hath promised to show me thy
renowned steed, Saladin; and since, on quitting thy halls, I go to my
apprenticeship in war on the turbulent Scottish frontier, I would fain
ask thee for a destrier of the same race as that which bears the
thunderbolt of Warwick's wrath through the storm of battle."

"A steed of the race of Saladin," answered the earl, leading the way
to the destrier's stall, apart from all other horses, and rather a
chamber of the castle than a stable, "were indeed a boon worthy a
soldier's gift and a prince's asking. But, alas! Saladin, like
myself, is sonless,--the last of a long line."

"His father, methinks, fell for us on the field of Towton. Was it not
so? I have heard Edward say that when the archers gave way, and the
victory more than wavered, thou, dismounting, didst slay thy steed
with thine own hand, and kissing the cross of thy sword, swore on that
spot to stem the rush of the foe, and win Edward's crown or Warwick's
grave." ["Every Palm Sunday, the day on which the battle of Towton
was fought, a rough figure, called the Red Horse, on the side of a