f deep sadness was stamped upon her features.

"Jane," said she, "pray thee shut the doors and draw the window
curtains, so that nobody can see me, nobody hear me, no one except
yourself, my friend, the companion of my happy childhood. Oh, my God, my
God, why was I so foolish as to leave my father's quiet, lonely castle
and go out into the world, which is so full of terror and horror?"

She sighed and groaned deeply; and burying her face in her hands, she
sank upon the ottoman, weeping and trembling.

Lady Jane observed her with a peculiar smile of malicious satisfaction.

"She is queen and she weeps," said she to herself. "My God, how can a
woman possibly feel unhappy, and she a queen?"

She approached Catharine, and, seating herself on the tabouret at her
feet, she impressed a fervent kiss on the queen's drooping hand.

"Your majesty weeping!" said she, in her most insinuating tone. "My God,
you are then unhappy; and I received with a loud cry of joy the news of
my friend's unexpected good fortune. I thought to meet a queen, proud,
happy, and radiant with joy; and I was anxious and fearful lest the
queen might have ceased to be my friend. Wherefore I urged my father,
as soon as your command reached us, to leave Dublin and hasten with me
hither. Oh, my God! I wished to see you in your happiness and in your
greatness."

Catharine removed her hands from her face, and looked down at her friend
with a sorrowful smile. "Well," said she, "are you not satisfied with
what you have seen? Have I not the whole day displayed to you the
smiling queen, worn a dress embroidered with gold? did not my neck
glitter with diamonds? did not the royal diadem shine in my hair? and
sat not the king by my side? Let that, then, be sufficient for the
present. You have seen the queen all day long. Allow me now for one
brief, happy moment to be again the feeling, sensitive woman, who
can pour into the bosom of her friend all her complaint and her
wretchedness. Ah, Jane, if you knew how I have longed for this hour,
how I have sighed after you as the only balm for my poor smitten heart,
smitten even to death, how I have implored Heaven for this day, for this
one thing--'Give me back my Jane, so that she can weep with me, so that
I may have one being at my side who understands me, and does not allow
herself to be imposed upon by the wretched splendor of this outward
display!'"

"Poor Catharine!" whispered Lady Jane, "poor queen!"

Catharine