NUMBER SEVENTEEN. CHAPTER I. THE HOUSE OF RHYADER AND FESTINI OG. THE two sons of the old house of Rhyader developed singularly different dispositions, though both gave great cause of anxiety to their father, at one time. Scarcely divided by one year in age, they were as distant as the poles, both in pursuits and in character. Gervase the elder, began life as a solemn and pensive baby, who at his christening attended cautiously to the ceremony, as if to see that it was correctly done in every particular. Shortly afterwards he became a precocious boy, and wrote some admirable poetry. Not long afterwards he became a precocious young man, with all the learning of the Egyptians at his fingers' ends. He was a young gentleman of great promise, and although his performances never came up to his promises, he was an all too excellent young gentleman. His inexorable virtues led him at one time it was suspected Romewards, but he never went; he never did anything incautious. Iltyd the younger son, was, on the other hand, a violent baby, a violent, and as some said, a stupid boy, and a most headstrong young man. The mother died not long after Iltyd had attained his tenth year, leaving the head of the house a widower; and after that event no one could do anything with the younger son, save his father and his brother. To these two people, and |