y! Elizabeth is no more a bastard--she is a royal princess!"

"And she may some day be a queen!" said Catharine, smiling.

"Oh," cried Elizabeth, "it is not that which stirs me with such joy. But
the disgrace of my birth is taken away; and I may freely hold up my head
and name my mother's name! Now thou mayst sleep calmly in thy grave, for
it is no longer dishonored! Anne Boleyn was no strumpet; she was King
Henry's lawful wife, and Elizabeth is the king's legitimate daughter! I
thank Thee, my God--I thank Thee!" And the young, passionate girl threw
herself on her knees, and raised her hands and her eyes to heaven.

"Spirit of my glorified mother," said she, solemnly, "I call thee! Come
to me! Overshadow me with thy smile, and bless me with thy breath! Queen
Anne of England, thy daughter is no longer a bastard, and no one dares
venture more to insult her. Thou wert with me when I wept and suffered,
my mother; and often in my disgrace and humiliation, it was as if I
heard thy voice, which whispered comfort to me; as if I saw thy heavenly
eyes, which poured peace and love into my breast! Oh, abide with me now
also, my mother--now, when my disgrace is taken away, abide with me
in my prosperity; and guard my heart, that it may be kept pure from
arrogance and pride, and remain humble in its joy! Anne Boleyn, they
laid thy beautiful, innocent head upon the block; but this parchment
sets upon it again the royal crown; and woe, woe to those who will now
still dare insult thy memory!"

She sprang from her knees and rushed to the wall opposite, on which was
a large oil painting, which represented Elizabeth herself as a child
playing with a dog.

"Oh, mother, mother!" said she, "this picture was the last earthly thing
on which thy looks rested; and to these painted lips of thy child thou
gavest thy last kiss, which thy cruel hangman would not allow to thy
living child. Oh, let me sip up this last kiss from that spot; let me
touch with my mouth the spot that thy lips have consecrated!"

She bent down and kissed the picture.

"And now come forth out of thy grave, my mother," said she, solemnly.
"I have been obliged so long to hide, so long to veil thee! Now thou
belongest to the world and to the light! The king has acknowledged me as
his lawful daughter; he cannot refuse me to have a likeness of my mother
in my room."

As she thus spoke, she pressed on a spring set in the broad gilt frame
of the picture; and suddenly the pai