entlemen and my beloved subjects," she answered
presently, and for an instant set her eyes upon Angele, then turned to
them again, "I pray you stand and hear me.... Ye have spoken fair words
to my face, and of my face, and of the person of this daughter of great
Henry, from whom I got whatever grace or manner or favour is to me; and
by all your reasoning you do flatter the heart of the Queen of England,
whose mind indeed sleeps not in deed or desire for this realm. Ye have
drawn a fair picture of this mortal me, and though from the grace of
the picture the colours may fade by time, may give by weather, may be
spoiled by chance, yet my loyal mind, nor time with her swift wings
shall overtake, nor the misty clouds may darken, nor chance with her
slippery foot may overthrow. It sets its course by the heart of England,
and when it passeth there shall be found that one shall be left behind
who shall be surety of all that hath been lying in the dim warehouse
of fate for England's high future. Be sure that in this thing I have
entered into the weigh-house, and I hold the balance, and ye shall be
well satisfied. Ye have been fruitful in counsel, ye have been long
knitting a knot never tied, ye shall have comfort soon. But know ye
beyond peradventure that I have bided my time with good reason. If our
loom be framed with rotten hurdles, when our web is well-ny done, our
work is yet to begin. Against mischance and dark discoveries my mind,
with knowledge hidden from you, hath been firmly arrayed. If it be in
your thought that I am set against a marriage which shall serve the
nation, purge yourselves, friends, of that sort of heresy, for the
belief is awry. Though I think that to be one and always one, neither
mated nor mothering, be good for a private woman, for a prince it is not
meet. Therefore, say to my Lords and Commons that I am more concerned
for what shall chance to England when I am gone than to linger out my
living thread. I hope, my lords and gentlemen, to die with a good Nunc
Dimittis, which could not be if I did not give surety for the nation
after my graved bones. Ye shall hear soon--ye shall hear and be
satisfied, and so I give you to the care of Almighty God."

Once more they knelt, and then slowly withdrew, with faces downcast and
troubled. They had secret knowledge which she did not yet possess, but
which at any moment she must know, and her ambiguous speech carried
no conviction to their minds. Yet their conferen