king down to the present day, has made the heart sick and the soul weary.  It was in vain that his daughter, with the tenderest, the kindest, the most assiduous care, strove to raise his expectations or support his resolution; it was in vain that she strove to wean his thoughts away from his own painful situation by music, or by reading, or by conversation.  Grief, like the dull adder, stops its ear that it may not hear the song of the charmer; and while she sang to him or played to him upon the lute, at that time an instrument still extremely common in England, or read to him from the books which she thought best calculated to attract his attention, she could see by the vacant eye that sometimes filled with tears, and the lips that from time to time murmured a word or two of impatience and complaint, that his thoughts were all still bent either upon the sad subject of his captivity, or upon the apprehension of what the future might bring.

At the hour of noon, then, the servant whom the Duke had chosen to wait upon him, and who was freely admitted to the prison, as well as a maid to attend upon the Lady Laura, entered the apartment in which the Duke sat, and announced that the Earl of Byerdale was in the antechamber.  The Duke started up with an expression of joy, ordering him to be admitted instantly; and the Earl entered, assuming even an unusual parade of dignity in his step, and contriving to make his countenance look more than commonly severe and sneering, even though there was a marked smile upon it, as if he would imply that no slight pleasure attended his visit to the Duke.

“My dear lord,” he said, “I really have to apologize for not having waited upon you before, but it has been quite impossible.  Since the King’s return I have been called upon daily to attend his majesty, besides having all the usual routine of my office to go through; otherwise I can assure your grace that I should have been with you long ago, as both duty and inclination would have prompted me to wait upon you.  I am happy to see you so comfortably lodged here.  I was afraid that, considering the circumstances, they might have judged it right to debar you of some indulgences; but my lord the governor is a good-hearted, kindly man.—­Lady Laura, how are you?  I hope you are quite well.  I grieve, indeed, to see you and your father in this place; but alas!  I had no power to prevent it, and indeed, I fear, I have very little power to serve you now.”

“From your lordship’s words,” said the Duke, after having habitually performed the civilities of the apartment—­“from your lordship’s words, I fear that you take a bad view of the case, and do not anticipate my speedy deliverance.”

“Oh, you know,” answered the Earl, “that the trial must take place before we can at all judge what the King’s mercy may incline him to do; but I fear, my lord, I fear that a strong prejudice prevails against your grace.  The King, as well may be, is terribly indignant at all persons concerned with this plot.”