not your influence with Clarence. Let not the brother aspire to the
brother's crown."

"Sister, a king's diadem covers all the sins schemed in the head that
wins it!"

As the duchess spoke, her eyes flashed and her form dilated. Her
beauty seemed almost terrible.

The gentle Anne gazed and shuddered; but ere she found words to
rebuke, the lovely shape of the countess-mother was seen moving slowly
towards them. She was dressed in her robes of state to receive her
kingly guest; the vest fitting high to the throat, where it joined the
ermine tippet, and thickly sown with jewels; the sleeves tight, with
the second or over sleeves, that, loose and large, hung pendent and
sweeping even to the ground; and the gown, velvet of cramousin,
trimmed with ermine,--made a costume not less graceful than
magnificent, and which, where compressed, set off the exquisite
symmetry of a form still youthful, and where flowing added majesty to
a beauty naturally rather soft and feminine than proud and stately.
As she approached her children, she looked rather like their sister
than their mother, as if Time, at least, shrunk from visiting harshly
one for whom such sorrows were reserved.

The face of the countess was so sad in its aspect of calm and sweet
resignation that even the proud Isabel was touched; and kissing her
mother's hand, she asked if any ill tidings preceded her father's
coming.

"Alas, my Isabel, the times themselves are bad tidings! Your youth