t made the women turn pale, and even the men felt themselves
tremble.

Catharine alone had not heeded it at all; she alone had heard nothing
save that cry of amazement which Thomas Seymour uttered; and she saw
only the angry and up-braiding looks which he threw across at her. She
answered these looks with a friendly and confident smile, and pressed
both her hands to her heart, as she looked at him.

"I will justify myself before him at least," thought she.

The king had recovered from his first shock. He again raised himself up,
and his countenance now exhibited a fearful, threatening coolness.

"You confess, then," asked he, "that you were not in your sleeping-room
on that night?"

"I have already said so," exclaimed Catharine, impatiently. The king
compressed his lips so violently, that they bled. "And a man was with
you?" asked he--"a man with whom you made an assignation, and whom you
received in the lonely tower?"

"A man was with me. But I did not receive him in the lonely tower; and
it was no assignation."

"Who was that man?" yelled the king. "Answer me! Tell me his name, if
you do not want me to strangle you myself!"

"King Henry, I fear death no longer!" said Catharine, with a
contemptuous smile.

"Who was that man? Tell me his name!" yelled the king once more.

The queen raised herself more proudly, and her defiant look ran over the
whole assembly.

"The man," said she, solemnly, "who was with me on that night--he is
named--"

"He is named John Heywood!" said this individual; as he seriously and
proudly walked forward from behind the king's throne. "Yes, Henry, your
brother, the fool John Heywood, had on that night the proud honor of
accompanying your consort on her holy errand; but, I assure you, that he
was less like the king, than the king is just now like the fool."

A murmur of surprise ran through the assembly. The king leaned back
in his royal seat speechless. "And now, King Henry," said Catharine,
calmly--"now I will tell you whither I went with John Heywood on that
night."

She was silent, and for a moment leaned back on her seat. She felt that
the looks of all were directed to her; she heard the king's wrathful
groan; she felt her lover's flashing, reproachful glances; she saw the
derisive smile of those haughty ladies, who had never forgiven her--that
she, from a simple baroness, had become queen. But all this made her
only still bolder and more courageous.

She had arrived at t