that this refusal was accompanied with the most courteous
protestations of respect for the earl, and placed only upon the
general ground of state policy.

"My dear George," Edward would say, "the heiress of Lord Warwick is
certainly no mal-alliance for a king's brother; but the safety of the
throne imperatively demands that my brothers should strengthen my rule
by connections with foreign potentates. I, it is true, married a
subject, and see all the troubles that have sprung from my boyish
passion! No, no! Go to Bretagne. The duke hath a fair daughter, and
we will make up for any scantiness in the dower. Weary me no more,
George. Fiat voluntas mea!"

But the motives assigned were not those which influenced the king's
refusal. Reasonably enough, he dreaded that the next male heir to his
crown should wed the daughter of the subject who had given that crown,
and might at any time take it away. He knew Clarence to be giddy,
unprincipled, and vain. Edward's faith in Warwick was shaken by the
continual and artful representations of the queen and her family. He
felt that the alliance between Clarence and the earl would be the
union of two interests almost irresistible if once arrayed against his
own.

But Warwick, who penetrated into the true reason for Edward's
obstinacy, was yet more resentful against the reasons than the
obstinacy itself. The one galled him through his affections, the
other through his pride; and the first were as keen as the last was
morbid. He was the more chafed, inasmuch as his anxiety of father
became aroused. Isabel was really attached to Clarence, who, with all
his errors, possessed every superficial attraction that graced his