of her first maid of honor, and she
allowed her to retire. Lady Jane left the hall. The queen continued the
conversation with Lord Hertford, who was standing by her. It was a very
lively and warm conversation, and the queen therefore did not heed
what was passing around her; and she heard nothing of the conversation
between the king and Earl Douglas.

John Heywood, still crouching behind the king's throne, observed
everything and heard every word of this softly whispered conversation.

"Sire," said Earl Douglas, "it is late and the hour of midnight is
drawing nigh. Will your majesty be pleased to conclude the feast? For
you well know that at mid-night we must be over there in the green
summer-house, and it is a long way there."

"Yes, yes, at midnight!" muttered the king. "At midnight the carnival
is at an end; and we shall tear off our mask, and show our wrathful
countenance to the criminals! At midnight we must be over in the green
summer-house. Yes, Douglas, we must make haste; for it would be cruel to
let the tender Surrey wait still longer. So we will give his Geraldine
liberty to leave the feast; and we ourselves must begin our journey.
Ah, Douglas, it is a hard path that we have to tread, and the furies and
gods of vengeance bear our torches. To work, then--to work!"

The king arose from his seat, and stepped to the queen, to whom he
presented his hand with a tender smile.

"My lady, it is late," said he; "and we, who are king of so many
subjects--we are, nevertheless, in turn, the subject of a king. This is
the physician, and we must obey him. He has ordered me to seek my couch
before midnight, and, as a loyal subject must do, I obey. We wish you,
therefore, a good-night, Kate; and may your beautiful eyes on the morrow
also shine as starlike as they do to-night."

"They will shine to-morrow as to-night, if my lord and husband is still
as gracious to me to-morrow as to-day," said Catharine, with perfect
artlessness and without embarrassment, as she gave her hand to the
king. Henry cast on her a suspicious, searching look, and a peculiar,
malicious expression was manifested in his face.

"Do you believe then, Kate, that we can ever be ungracious to you?"
asked he.

"As to that, I think," said she, with a smile, "that even the sun does
not always shine; and that a gloomy night always succeeds his splendor."

The king did not reply. He looked her steadily in the face, and his
features suddenly assumed a ge