They were five minutes together; and then Amyas came out alone.
In few words he told the company the sad story which we already know.
Ere it was ended, noble tears were glistening on some of those stern faces.
"The old Egyptians," said Sir Edward Osborne, "when they banqueted, set a corpse among their guests, for a memorial of human vanity.

Have we forgotten God and our own weakness in this our feast, that He Himself has sent us thus a message from the dead ?" "Nay, my lord mayor," said Sidney, "not from the dead, but from the realm of everlasting life." "Amen!" answered Osborne.

"But, gentlemen, our feast is at an end.

There are those here who would drink on merrily, as brave men should, in spite of the private losses of which they have just had news; but none here who can drink with the loss of so great a man still ringing in his ears." It was true.

Though many of the guests had suffered severely by the failure of the expedition, they had utterly forgotten that fact in the awful news of Sir Humphrey's death; and the feast broke up sadly and hurriedly, while each man asked his neighbor, "What will the queen say ?" Raleigh re-entered in a few minutes, but was silent, and pressing many an honest hand as he passed, went out to call a wherry, beckoning Amyas to follow him.