truth. But the king's keen, penetrating look was resting on her, and she
recollected that he had, the first thing that evening, so urgently and
solemnly conjured her to always tell him the truth. Besides, it was no
secret at court who the protector of this young maiden was, and who had
been the means of her obtaining the place of maid of honor to the queen,
a place which so many wealthy and distinguished families had solicited
for their daughters.

"Who recommended this lady to you?" repeated the king, and already his
ill-humor began to redden his face, and make his voice tremble.

"Archbishop Cranmer did so, sire," said Catharine as she raised her eyes
to the king, and looked at him with a smile surpassingly charming.

At that moment was heard without, more loudly, the roll of drums, which
nevertheless was partially drowned by piercing shrieks and horrible
cries of distress. The blaze of the fire shot up higher, and now was
seen the bright flame, which with murderous rage licked the sky above.

Anne Askew, who had kept respectful silence during the conversation of
the royal pair, now felt herself completely overcome by this horrible
sight, and bereft of the last remnant of self-possession.

"My God, my God!" said she, quivering from the internal tremor, and
stretching her hands beseechingly toward the king, "do you not hear that
frightful wail of the wretched? Sire, by the thought of your own dying
hour, I conjure you have compassion on these miserable beings! Let them
not, at least, be thrown alive into the flames. Spare them this last
frightful torture."

King Henry cast a wrathful look on the kneeling girl; then strode
past her to the door, which led into the adjoining hall, in which the
courtiers were waiting for their king.

He beckoned to the two bishops, Cranmer and Gardiner, to come nearer,
and ordered the servants to throw the hall doors wide open.

The scene now afforded an animated and singular spectacle, and this
chamber, just before so quiet, was suddenly changed to the theatre of
a great drama, which was perhaps to end tragically. In the queen's
bedchamber, a small room, but furnished with the utmost luxury and
splendor, the principal characters of this scene were congregated. In
the middle of the space stood the king in his robes, embroidered with
gold and sparkling with jewels, which were irradiated by the bright
light of the chandelier. Near him was seen the young queen, whose
beautiful and l