echoed from heart to heart, as they vibrated in unison with each other. "Take off thine armour," said she; attempting with her long white fingers to remove the hauberk: "Why didst thou place this cold mail between thy heart and mine after such a long absence?"

The warrior replied not, for his heart seemed too full to speak; but linking his fingers together behind her waist, while she leant back, gazed upon her for a moment or two in silence: then again pressed her lips, and bowing his head upon her shoulder, hugged her closely to his bosom. He murmured a few low words upon her ear, but their purport was inaudible; neither could they express half so much as that long, silent, and fervent pressure,-the dumb but thrilling eloquence of Love. And while her long silken locks fell over the linked mail in which his arms were sheathed, and her own white naked arms were firmly locked around his gorget and habergeon, and her own beautiful face looking unutterable love into his manly and replying countenance, she seemed like the figure of Peace

newly alighted upon the earth, imploring the God of Battle to throw aside his armour, and fly with her to some tranquil solitude, where the voice of war never sounded.

"Take off thine armour, my love," continued she, in a voice so low and sweet, that it thrilled like plaintive music through his heart, and he seemed spell-bound under its utterance. "Unloose these envious buckles, and rough rivets, and rest thine head upon me. Thou seemest weary; come and stretch thyself upon yonder couch, and I will gaze my fill at thee while thou sleepest."

"Mine eyes would never close, my sweet one," replied he, in a voice soft and tremulous with emotion, "while thine were bending over me; but keep up a jealous watch, lest thine should steal their light, for if they once closed upon thine image, they would never open again for fear it should escape them."

"An' thou wilt take my image to thy heart, as I have thine, 'twill never want to stray," replied she, unbuckling his coat of mail.

"Thou seemest anxious to disburthen me of mine armour," said he, assisting her to unloose the fastenings: "Thou little dreamest that this hauberk hath borne the brunt of many a blow; and repelled many a shaft, that might have found lodgment elsewhere."

"Then will I have it hung up to look upon when thou art away," said she, smiling, "and thy face will obey the summons of my fancy and readily fill the helmit, and I shall But no,"-continued she, in an altered tone of voice, piling the armour on the floor, then chaining his neck with her arms, and hanging upon him, (a load with which a god would willingly have been encumbered)-" thou wilt not leave me again?"

"Never for so long a space," answered he, "unless the call is most urgent."

"But why wilt thou leave me at all?" said she, seating herself beside him on the large oaken settle, and leaning on him familiarly. "Oh! thou but little knowest, what I have fancied in thy absence; sometimes dreaming of thee all

night long;-seeing thee fall in the battle, or wrecked on the ocean; -watched beside thee wounded or dying;-now trembling with affright, then flying to save thee. Oh! say thou wilt not leave me again, to become subject to these fears. Assuredly King Henry hath knights enow among his followers to attend him, who have no aching heart to leave behind. say, shall I not accompany thee when thou goest into Normandy again, for thou knowest that Queen Eleanor will need a few ladies for companions; and peradventure through the love thou sayest the King holds for thee, I may be enabled to accompany thee to Normandy."

But

"We will speak of these matters anon, sweet lady," said the knight, somewhat troubled; "but tell me now," added he, running his fingers through her hair, "hast thou not a wish to see Henry's court, the gold and glitter of his knights, and show thine own figure among the ladies of the land, as much as to be with me?"

"Nay, my valiant lord," replied she, "I have no wish to see these things; for well do I wot

that Henry hath not a nobler knight in his train than thyself; and as for his court, I would keep far from it, if I may but have thine image before me."

"Nor hath Eleanor so lovely a lady in her train as thou art," muttered the knight half to himself. "But it pleaseth me to find that thy inclinations lead thee not to mingle with these empty pageants. What wouldst thou have me to do, could I follow thy wishes?"

'Nothing until thou hadst fulfilled thine own," replied she.

"But, what if I had none of my own," inquired he, "but gave myself up to thy guidance?"

"That would be too great a bliss," replied she. "Thou lovest hunting; sometimes I would ride by thy side, to witness thy manly feats in the field, or I would linger behind, to see that thy meals were in readiness when thou didst return. I would lean on thee, and lead thee forth into the pleasant meadows in the sweet summer time; or seated on some flowery bank, hear