“And here, then,” said Edward, as he put his lips to a gold goblet, wrought with gems, and passed it to Anthony the Bastard,—“here, count, we take the first wassail to the loves of Charolois and Margaret!”
The count drained the goblet, and the wine gave him new fire.
“And with those loves, king,” said he, “we bind forever Burgundy and England. Woe to France!”
“Ay, woe to France!” exclaimed Edward, his face lighting up with that martial joy which it ever took at the thoughts of war,—“for we will wrench her lands from this huckster Louis. By Heaven! I shall not rest in peace till York hath regained what Lancaster hath lost! and out of the parings of the realm which I will add to England thy brother of Burgundy shall have eno’ to change his duke’s diadem for a king’s. How now, Rivers? Thou gloomest, father mine.”
“My liege,” said Rivers, wakening himself, “I did but think that if the Earl of Warwick—”
“Ah, I had forgotten,” interrupted Edward; “and, sooth to say, Count Anthony, I think if the earl were by, he would not much mend our boon-fellowship!”
“Yet a good subject,” said De la Roche, sneeringly, “usually dresses his face by that of his king.”
“A subject! Ay, but Warwick is much such a subject to England as William of Normandy or Duke Rollo was to France. Howbeit, let him come,—our realm is at peace, we want no more his battle-axe; and in our new designs on France, thy brother, bold count, is an ally that might compensate for a greater loss than a sullen minister. Let him come!”
As the king spoke, there was heard gently upon the smooth turf the sound of the hoofs of steeds. A moment more, and from the outskirts of the scene of revel, where the king’s guards were stationed, there arose a long, loud shout. Nearer and nearer came the hoofs of the steeds; they paused. Doubtless Richard of Gloucester by that shout! “The soldiers love that brave boy,” said the king.
Marmaduke Nevile, as gentleman in waiting, drew aside the curtain of the pavilion; and as he uttered a name that paled the cheeks of all who heard, the Earl of Warwick entered the royal presence.