time passed, till it was now but the day before that fixed for his
visit to the More. And, as he rose at morning from his restless
couch, the struggle was over, and the soul resolved to dare the crime.
His first thought was to separate Anne from Sibyll. He affected to
rebuke the queen for giving to his high-born guest an associate below
her dignity, and on whose character, poor girl, rested the imputation
of witchcraft; and when the queen replied that Lady Anne herself had
so chosen, he hit upon the expedient of visiting Warner himself, under
pretence of inspecting his progress,--affected to be struck by the
sickly appearance of the sage, and sending for Sibyll, told her, with
an air of gracious consideration, that her first duty was to attend
her parent; that the queen released her for some days from all court
duties; and that he had given orders to prepare the room adjoining
Master Warner's, and held by Friar Bungey, till that worthy had
retired with his patroness from the court, to which she would for the
present remove.

Sibyll, wondering at this novel mark of consideration in the careless
king, yet imputing it to the high value set on her father's labours,
thanked Edward with simple earnestness, and withdrew. In the anteroom
she encountered Hastings, on his way to the king. He started in
surprise, and with a jealous pang: "What! thou, Sibyll! and from the
king's closet! What led thee thither?"

"His grace's command." And too noble for the pleasure of exciting the
distrust that delights frivolous minds as the proof of power, Sibyll
added, "The king has been kindly speaking to me of my father's
health." The courtier's brow cleared; he mused a moment, and said, in
a whisper, "I beseech thee to meet me an hour hence at the eastern
rampart."