bewitched?"

"Beau sire, often have men, when a sweet face hath captured thy great
heart, said the same of thee!"

"It may be so with truth, for verily love is the arch-devil's birth."

The king rose, and strode his chamber with a quick step; at last
pausing,--

"Hastings," he said, "so thou lovest the multiplier's pretty daughter?
She has just left me. Art thou jealous?"

"Happily your Highness sees no beauty in looks that have the gloss of
the raven, and eyes that have the hue of the violet."

"No, I am a constant man, constant to one idea of beauty in a thousand
forms,--eyes like the summer's light-blue sky, and locks like its
golden sunbeams! But to set thy mind at rest, Will, know that I have
but compassionated the sickly state of the scholar, whom thou prizest
so highly; and I have placed thy fair Sibyll's chamber near her
father's. Young Lovell says thou art bent on wedding the wizard's
daughter."

"And if I were, beau sire?"

Edward looked grave.

"If thou wert, my poor Will, thou wouldst lose all the fame for shrewd
wisdom which justifies thy sudden fortunes. No, no; thou art the