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CHAPTER XVIII.

"Observe me, sir!

His money-bags are torpid, -they're so full!

Crammed, glutton-like, with lumps of spendthrift gold, '
They swell their sides and sleep!"

Barry Cornwall.

GAZING out of a window which overlooked the glades and vistas of the forest of Grafton was the pretty bright-eyed Margaret, perfectly recovered from the effects of her illness, and prettier and more bright-eyed than ever; at least so said (or would have said, if looks could speak) the glances of Sir Henry Norris, who, availing himself of his privilege as groom of the stole, failed not on every opportunity, early and late, to employ his time in the laudable and not very difficult occupation of turning the brain of a silly self-willed girl. Whether Margaret was the real flame round which the handsome and gallant young courtier so heedlessly fluttered, it is impossible to say; at any rate, Anne Boleyn believed herself the object of an admiration which, notwithstanding the severity of the lesson she had so lately received, she, with her usual frivolity, did all in her power to foster, regarding poor Margaret merely as the pretext made use of by Norris to blind both the king and Suffolk. It is, however, quite certain that at this moment the knight thought but of his companion, who, as she shook back her sunny curls, and raised towards him a countenance radiant with mirth, was sufficiently fascinating to make him, at least for the time being, forget all else.

"Now art thou not a very witch, Madge?" he continued, in answer to some observation of the half-pouting, half-laughing girl; "ay, and a malicious witch too, to detain me here when my lord cardinal and the legate

Campeggio are to ride over from Leighton Bussarde after Mass, and there is naught that I can perceive in readiness to receive his eminence.'

"I detained you not, good sir; but for my lord of York's reception, credit me, there will be little done in the way of preparation; it minds me, however, I have not myself attended Mass, although it be Sunday;" so saying, she made a half-idle, half-unwilling movement as though to proceed to the chapel.

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Nay, Madge," said Norris more seriously, laying his hand on her arm to detain her, "what mean you by that observation?"

"Simply," answered the girl, delighted to find herself of importance, "that I heard Mistress Boleyn say, 'There should be no lodging appointed here for my lord cardinal;' and my lord of Norfolk told her on no account to let the king grant him license to go to Winchester, but rather to remove him to York, and so plant him at a distance from his grace; and then the duke laughed, and said, if they could once humble these churchmen, Mistress Anne might give her lap-dog a jewelled collar, and it never be missed from their wealth either."

"And where were you when this took place?"

"In the tiring-room; the door was open, but they never heeded me. Sir Francis Brian was there too, and they gibed and laid wagers with Mistress Anne and each other, as to how the king would look on his eminence, and then-"

"Well, no more," interrupted Sir Henry hastily; "but now, dear Madge, not one word of this for thine own sake;" and with a countenance from which every trace of mirth was banished he hurried away; whilst the girl, halfoffended, and without any further temptation for her omission, took her way to the chapel, from whence (on the termination of a service during which she had been bodily, though certainly not mentally, present) she hurried off in quest of Anne Boleyn, between whom and herself there was greater similarity of disposition than the favourite might altogether be pleased to acknowledge.

She found that lady attended by Anne Gainsford, in

whom, although connected with the Wyatts, she had unbounded confidence; whilst Sir Francis Weston stood at a short distance, holding in his hand the virginals on which he had just been playing. A large book with massive clasps lay open on a table, and on this the eyes of both Anne Boleyn and her companion were fixed with intense interest: Anne, as was not at all unusual, was in no very placable mood, and of this poor Margaret was soon destined to feel the effects.

"Come hither, my saucy mistress," she exclaimed, "and answer me if thou canst, how came this tissue of Spanish lies here in my chamber?"

The girl looked surprised, but simply replied she knew nothing of the matter. Her mistress, however, was not so easily satisfied; she continued questioning and upbraiding until Weston, moved by the tears which stood in Madge's eyes, heedlessly interposed.

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Nay, blame her not; she can in truth plead her ignorance, having for the last half-hour been in converse with Norris, whose tongue is sufficiently sweet to excuse even greater negligence in one so inexperienced."

Anne's eyes shot fire, her vanity was wounded, and she answered tartly, "Sir Henry Norris, I will have no more of this. Thou shalt back to London with thy mother, pretty one; thy behaviour is over light for our service."

A cynical smile curled the lip of Weston as he muttered with his habitual want of deference, " Nay, madam, anger not yourself thus; Norris, take my word for it, comes not hither to play the fool with Madge, but to offer his homage to his future queen."

At this imprudent insinuation a flush rose to the brow of both mistress and attendant; and whilst the girl retired into the recess of a window to hide her confusion, Mistress Gainsford, in order to divert the conversation into a safer channel, again referred to the book.

"Come hither, Sir Francis Weston, and help me to find the meaning of this expounder. There are three figures with the letters H, A, and K; and seest thou how they are placed?"

"I am no great believer in prophecies," answered the

knight; "and this one is sufficiently ill-omened, threatening as it does certain destruction to whosoever shall wed the king."

"I have it, Nan," said Anne Boleyn turning very pale; "this is the king, there stands the queen, weeping and wringing her hands, and here am I with my head off.”

"Then," replied Mistress Gainsford, who was deeply tinctured with the superstition of the age, "if I thought that were true, I would not marry him if he were the emperor."

"Tut, Nan!" answered the lady, shaking off the momentary weakness, "I deem the book a bauble; yet, to feel the crown once on my brow, I am resolved to have him, whatever may chance of it."

"And yet Katherine, with the blood of Arragon and Castile, found it somewhat heavy," murmured Mistress Gainsford in a voice so low as only to reach the ears of Weston; when the sound of horses' feet and an exclamation from Madge announced the arrival of the legates, and put a stop to the colloquy.

The knight, not sorry for the interruption, hurried to the court-yard, where Wolsey's enemies were already assembled, anxious to note how he bore the mortification which they knew awaited him. Madge profited by the momentary confusion to effect her escape, almost sighing after the peaceful seclusion of Hog Lane, although the sun of Sir Henry Norris's presence shone not on that plebeian locality.

"Why so grave?" demanded Anne Boleyn half-consciously, when she found herself alone with Mistress Gainsford; "I have not your prudence, girl, and cannot check my tongue."

"You seem to have forgotten, madam, the difficulty you had to clear yourself with his grace in that matter touching Sir Thomas Wyatt; it is not yet well blown over; and there are not wanting those around the king eager to work your ruin.'

"My lord of York, thou meanest ?" exclaimed Anne furiously. "Gainsford, I hate that man, and have vowed his downfall; he was ever my foe; but for him I had been

the wife of the Earl of Northumberland; yea, the very day which saw Percy wed the Lady Mary Talbot I swore eternal enmity to him, but for whom I should have gained a coronet."

"And lost a throne," answered her attendant calmly. "Men say in that the cardinal was your friend, and sought to pleasure the king."

"Men lie!" interrupted Anne, almost beside herself with passion. "Wolsey loved the stern Earl of Northumberland, and it angered him that his unthrifty heir should mate with the daughter of Sir Thomas Boleyn. Ha! my proud lord cardinal, I have kept that vengeance, treasured it, thought on it, made it my companion at bed and board; it is my hour now, look to yourself."

And truly at that very moment was Wolsey destined to feel it was Anne's hour. Accompanied by Campeggio, and followed by a small retinue, amongst whom was Aubrey de Buron, he had entered the court, where the head officers of the household awaited, as was customary on the arrival of a distinguished guest, though it was sufficiently obvious to all present that the honour was intended for the legate alone. Leaning on the cardinal's arm, the feeble old man tottered to the apartments prepared for him within the court; but when the minister was about to proceed to those he usually occupied, an usher flippantly informed him he must seek a lodging elsewhere, as there was none to spare at Grafton. Wolsey raised his head no less indignant than surprised, when he discovered himself to be the object of attention to a group, foremost amongst whom was the Duke of Norfolk, whose eye was fixed upon him with an air of insulting triumph; how the haughty prelate might have brooked that glance is uncertain, had not Sir Henry Norris with real kindness advanced and courteously offered the use of his chamber for a season, adding, "I do assure you, my lord, the room in this castle is scantly sufficient for his grace;" and rendering his arm with a respect he would not have shown in the days of the prelate's prosperity, the knight, regardless of the banter of the assembled courtiers, led the way.

Scarcely had the cardinal thrown aside his riding

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