Part 8 (2/2)
”My brother Richard, I charge thee to look after my children, which shall soon be fatherless, and may God deal with thee as thou dost deal with them I wish thee to be the protector of overnment until such time as he doth come unto years of discretion”
So there by his bedside they went through the forh the forms; for that was all they did
I do not believe that one of those present ever intended to keep the oath he there ; for their conduct after his death is sufficient evidence of their insincerity
'Twas told to me afterwards, by one which saw all that which I have here described, that as Richard left the roohter rather than his tears And I do believe this to be so; for I consider it impossible for that man ever to have had the tenderness of heart necessary to produce one tear Be that as ithis love and charity towards his brother's children
One , when I met Hazel in the park, as was noont, her eyes were red eeping
”Come, come, my fair one, thou must not look so unhappy, or else I shall fear that thou hast ceased to love me Now tell me what is the matter, that I may console thee”
”Hast thou then not heard the news?” she asked
”I have not,” I replied, ”it must be evil news indeed, tois dead,” she said
”When did he die?”
”About an hour since;” and then she wiped her eyes again
”Why dost thou weep so for the King?” I asked; for I did not like to see Hazel weeping because another man had died
”Oh, thou stupid!” she cried out impatiently; ”cannot you see that it is on the poor Queen's account? I love her as I did my own dear, and now dead, mother; and when I see her in such sorrow it maketh me to feel as if 'twereseen this for myself; but men are so thick headed, in these matters, that they can never know the way a wos until she doth explain herself Now I had rather face a regile handed, than see a wo, but feeling uncommon uncomfortable
Presently she looked up sharply, and said,--”Well, what art thou staring at? Is there anything about me that does not please thee?”
To this I made no reply, as I knew silence to be the best remedy for these little outbursts of temper Remember, my dears, at that time Hazel had considerable fire in her auntlet for a maid which had not; for this I do consider to be the very salt of one's character; and what is a fine dish without it be seasoned properly
When I had stood quietly for soin to betray the of the face ”Is the storht a s than ever
”Thou must not think badly of me because I was cross with thee, dear,”
she said, looking up atmanner--of which she so well knew the power: ”I felt so sorrohen I saw the dear Queen weeping and wringing her hands in despair, that I did not know ive reat show of granting her pardon, that I ood reason for a certain show of tenderness
'Twas like a little ind in a dusty road, when the particles of sparkling sand have settled back to their proper level the way is more smooth than ever
When ere seated upon a bench beneath a fine old oak, which stood in a place nity had made it to hold itself aloof from their society, like the head of soar herd, she asked dom
”Ah! my dear,” I replied, ”that is the question which I have been trying to answer since some time before his Majesty did leave us If Gloucester can be honest all shall be well; for he is afirmly seated on the throne What I do fear is, that, when he tastes the sweets of ruling, he er, when he once hath tasted blood,Edward, in his hands, will be as wax, andneed not fear his humbler subjects, but must still hold a wary eye upon his uncle”