II.
How Anne Boleyn received Proof of Henry's Passion for Jane Seymour.
On the day after the solemnisation of the Grand Feast of the Order ofthe Garter, a masqued fete of great splendour and magnificence was heldwithin the castle. The whole of the state apartments were thrown open tothe distinguished guests, and universal gaiety prevailed. No restraintwas offered to the festivity by the king, for though he was known to bepresent, he did not choose to declare himself.
The queen sat apart on a fauteuil in the deep embrasure of a window; andas various companies of fantastic characters advanced towards her,she more than once fancied she detected amongst them the king, but thevoices convinced her of her mistake. As the evening was wearing, a maskin a blue domino drew near her, and whispered in a devoted and familiartone, "My queen!"
"Is it you, Norris?" demanded Anne, under her breath.
"It is," he replied. "Oh, madam! I have been gazing at you the wholeevening, but have not dared to approach you till now."
"I am sorry you have addressed me at all, Norris," she rejoined. "Yourregard for me has been noticed by others, and may reach the king's ears.You must promise never to address me in the language of passion again."
"If I may not utter my love I shall go mad," replied Norris. "Afterraising me to the verge of Paradise, do not thrust me to the depths ofTartarus."
"I have neither raised you nor do I cast you down," rejoined Anne."That I am sensible of your devotion, and grateful for it, I admit, butnothing more. My love and allegiance are due to the king."
"True," replied Norris bitterly; "they are so, but he is whollyinsensible to your merits. At this very moment he is pouring hislove-vows in the ear of Jane Seymour."
"Ah! is he so?" cried Anne. "Let me have proof of his perfidy, and I mayincline a more favourable ear to you."
"I will instantly obtain you the proof, madam," replied Norris, bowingand departing.
Scarcely had he quitted the queen, and mixed with the throng of dancers,than he felt a pressure upon his arm, and turning at the touch, behelda tall monk, the lower part of whose face was muffled up, leaving only apair of fierce black eyes and a large aquiline nose visible.
"I know what you want, Sir Henry Norris," said the tall monk in alow deep voice; "you wish to give the queen proof of her royal lord'sinconstancy. It is easily done. Come with me."
"Who are you?" demanded Norris doubtfully.
"What matters it who I am?" rejoined the other; "I am one of themasquers, and chance to know what is passing around me. I do not inquireinto your motives, and therefore you have no right to inquire intomine."
"It is not for my own satisfaction that I desire this proof," saidNorris, "because I would rather shield the king's indiscretions thanbetray them. But the queen has conceived suspicions which she isdetermined to verify."
"Think not to impose upon me," replied the monk with a sneer. "Bring thequeen this way, and she shall be fully satisfied."
"I can run no risk in trusting you," said Norris, "and therefore Iaccept your offer."
"Say no more," cried the monk disdainfully, "I will await you here."
And Norris returned to the queen.
"Have you discovered anything?" she cried.
"Come with me, madam," said Norris, bowing and taking her hand.
Proceeding thus they glided through the throng of dancers, whorespectfully cleared a passage for them as they walked along until theyapproached the spot where the tall monk was standing. As they drew nearhim he moved on, and Norris and the queen followed in silence. Passingfrom the great hall in which the crowd of dancers were assembled, theydescended a short flight of steps, at the foot of which the monk paused,and pointed with his right hand to a chamber, partly screened by thefolds of a curtain.
At this intimation the queen and her companion stepped quickly on, andas she advanced, Anne Boleyn perceived Jane Seymour and the king seatedon a couch within the apartment. Henry was habited like a pilgrim,but he had thrown down his hat, ornamented with the scallop-shell, hisvizard, and his staff, and had just forced his fair companion to unmask.
At the sight, Anne was transfixed with jealous rage, and was for themoment almost unconscious of the presence of Norris, or of the monk, whoremained behind the curtain, pointing to what was taking place.
"Your majesty is determined to expose my blushes," said Jane Seymour,slightly struggling with her royal lover.
"Nay, I only want to be satisfied that it is really yourself,sweetheart," cried Henry passionately. "It was in mercy to me, Isuppose, that you insisted upon shrouding those beauteous features frommy view.
"Hear you that, madam?" whispered Norris to Anne.
The queen answered by a convulsive clasp of the hand.
"Your majesty but jests with me," said Jane Seymour. "Jests!" criedHenry passionately. "By my faith! I never understood the power of beautytill now. No charms ever moved my heart like yours; nor shall I know amoment's peace till you become mine."
"I am grieved to hear it, my liege," replied Jane Seymour, "for I nevercan be yours, unless as your queen."
Again Norris hazarded a whisper to Anne Boleyn, which was answered byanother nervous grasp of the hand.
"That is as much as to say," pursued Jane, seeing the gloomy reverieinto which her royal lover was thrown, "I can give your majesty no hopesat all."
"You have been schooled by Anne Boleyn, sweetheart," said Henry.
"How so, my liege?" demanded Jane Seymour.
"Those are the very words she used to me when I wooed her, and whichinduced me to divorce Catherine of Arragon," replied Henry. "Now theymay bring about her own removal."
"Just Heaven!" murmured Anne.
"I dare not listen to your majesty," said Jane Seymour, in a tremuloustone; "and yet, if I dared speak--"
"Speak on, fearlessly, sweetheart," said Henry.
"Then I am well assured," said Jane, "that the queen no longer lovesyou; nay, that she loves another."
"It is false, minion!" cried Anne Boleyn, rushing forward, while Norrishastily retreated, "it is false! It is you who would deceive the kingfor your own purposes. But I have fortunately been brought hither toprevent the injury you would do me. Oh, Henry! have I deserved this ofyou?"
"You have chanced to overhear part of a scene in a masquerade,madam--that is all," said the king.
"I have chanced to arrive most opportunely for myself," said Anne. "Asfor this slanderous and deceitful minion, I shall dismiss her from myservice. If your majesty is determined to prove faithless to me, itshall not be with one of my own dames."
"Catherine of Arragon should have made that speech," retorted JaneSeymour bitterly. "She had reason to complain that she was supplanted byone much beneath her. And she never played the king falsely."
"Nor have I!" cried Anne fiercely. "If I had my will, I should strikethee dead for the insinuation. Henry, my lord--my love--if you have anyregard for me, instantly dismiss Jane Seymour."
"It may not be, madam," replied Henry in a freezing tone; "she has donenothing to deserve dismissal. If any one is to blame in the matter, itis myself."
"And will you allow her to make these accusations against me withoutpunishment?" cried Anne.
"Peace, madam!" cried the king sternly; "and thank my good-nature thatI go no further into the matter. If you are weary of the masque, I prayyou retire to your own apartments. For myself, I shall lead Jane Seymourto the bransle."
"And if your majesty should need a partner," said Jane, walking up toAnne and speaking in a low tone, "you will doubtless find Sir HenryNorris disengaged."
The queen looked as if stricken by a thunderbolt. She heard thetriumphant laugh of her rival; she saw her led forth, all smiles andbeauty and triumph, by the king to the dance, and she covered her facein agony. While she was in this state, a deep voice breathed in herears, "The vengeance of Catherine of Arragon begins to work!"
Looking up, she beheld the tall figure of the monk retreating from thechamber.
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