“‘I can wed her before I go,’ said Charles, suddenly, as he sat that night in his chamber conversing with my lord. “‘Why, that is true! and leave thy bride in the first week——a hard trial.’ “‘Better that, than incur the chance of never calling her mine.’ “‘Assuredly she deserves all from thee, and, indeed, it is no small sacrifice at thy young age, and with thy gallant mien, to renounce her for a time; but a bridegroom without a bride! Nay, man, much as they want warriors, I am forced to tell thee if thou weddest, stay peaceably at home, and forget in the chase the valours of war, from which thou wouldst strip the ambition of love.’ “‘I would I knew what were best,’ said Charles, irresolutely. ‘My brother, ha! shall he for ever outshine me? But poor Leoline, how will she grieve? she who left him for me.’ “‘Was that thy fault?’ said the old lord, gaily. ‘It may many times chance to thee again to be preferred to another. Troth, it is a sin that the conscience may walk lightly under. But sleep on it, Charles, my old eyes grow weary.’ “The next day Charley sought Leoline, and proposed that their wedding should precede his parting, but so embarrassed was he, so divided between two wishes, that Leoline hurt, offended, stung by his coldness, refused the proposal at once. She left him, lest he should see her weep, and then, then she repented of her just pride. “But Charles, striving to appease his conscience with the belief that hers was now the sole fault, busied himself in preparation for his departure. “Anxious to outshine his brother, he departed, not as Edward had done, alone and unattended, but levying all the horses, men, and money that the old lord could afford, Charles embarked for France at the head of a glittering troop of horsemen. “The aged minstrel still remained at the castle, and, affecting sickness, tarried behind, and promised to join Charles in France. “Meanwhile, he devoted his whole powers of pleasing to console Leoline. “The force of her simple love was, however, stronger than all his arts. “In vain he insinuated doubts of Charles’s fidelity; she refused to hear them. “In vain he poured, with the softest accents, into the witchery of flattery and song; she turned heedlessly away, and was pained at the remembrance of how coldly Charles had treated her before departing for the wars. “She shut herself up in her chamber, and pined in solitude for her absent lover. “The old minstrel, who was none other than Redgill in disguise, now resolved to attempt darker arts to obtain power over her. “But from some cause he suddenly left the castle on some secret mission, of so high import, that it could not be resisted by a passion stronger in his breast than love—the passion of ambition and hate. “Meanwhile, though, ever and anon, the fame of Edward reached their ears, it came unaccompanied with that of Charles. “Of him they heard no tidings.