ien de Monsieur Gregoire Leti," vol. ii. Amsterdam, 1694] But
Henry rejected my sacrifice. He wished to make a queen, in order to
possess a wife, who may be his own property--whose blood, as her lord
and master, he can shed. So I am queen. I have accepted my lot, and
henceforth my existence will be a ceaseless struggle and wrestling with
death. I will at least sell my life as dearly as possible; and the maxim
which Cranmer has given me shall hereafter be my guide on the thorny
path of life."

"And how runs this maxim?" asked Jane.

"Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves," replied Catharine, with a
languid smile, as she dropped her head upon her breast and surrendered
herself to her painful and foreboding reflections.

Lady Jane stood opposite to her, and gazed with cruel composure upon the
painfully convulsed countenance and at times violently trembling form of
the young queen for whom all England that day kept festival, and who yet
was sitting before her so wretched and full of sorrow.

Suddenly Catharine raised her head. Her countenance had now assumed an
entirely different expression. It was now firm, resolute, and dauntless.
With a slight inclination of the head she extended her hand to Lady
Jane, and drew her friend more closely to her.

"I thank you, Jane," said she, as she imprinted a kiss upon her
forehead--"I thank you! You have done my heart good and relieved it
of its oppressive load of secret anguish. He who can give his grief
utterance, is already half cured of it. I thank you, then, Jane!
Henceforth, you will find me calm and cheerful. The woman has wept
before you, but the queen is aware that she has a task to accomplish
as difficult as it is noble, and I give you my word for it, she will
accomplish it. The new light which has risen on the world shall no more
be dimmed by blood and tears, and no more in this unhappy land shall men
of sense and piety be condemned as insurgents and traitors! This is the
task which God has set me, and I swear that I will accomplish it! Will
you help me in this, too, Jane?"

Lady Jane responded faintly in a few words, which Catharine did not
understand, and as she looked up to her, she noticed, with astonishment,
the corpse-like pallor which had suddenly overspread the countenance of
her maid of honor.

Catharine gave a start, and fixed on her face a surprised and searching
look.

Lady Jane cast down her eyes before that searching and flashing glance.
Her fanati