ntler expression.

Perhaps he had compassion on his young wife. Perhaps he felt pity for
her youth and her enchanting smile, which had so often revived and
refreshed his heart.

Earl Douglas at least feared so.

"Sire," said he, "it is late. The hour of midnight is drawing nigh."

"Then let us go," exclaimed the king, with a sigh. "Yes once again,
good-night, Kate! Nay, do not accompany me! I will leave the hall quite
unobserved; and I shall be pleased, if my guests will still prolong
the fair feast till morning. All of you remain here! No one but Douglas
accompanies me."

"And your brother, the fool!" said John Heywood, who long before had
come out of his hiding-place and was now standing by the king. "Yes,
come, brother Henry; let us quit this feast. It is not becoming for
wise men of our sort to grant our presence still longer to the feast of
fools. Come to your couch, king, and I will lull your ear to sleep with
the sayings of my wisdom, and enliven your soul with the manna of my
learning."

While John Heywood thus spoke, it did not escape him that the features
of the earl suddenly clouded and a dark frown settled on his brow.

"Spare your wisdom for to-day, John," said the king; "for you would
indeed be preaching only to deaf ears. I am tired, and I require not
your erudition, but sleep. Good-night, John."

The king left the hall, leaning on Earl Douglas's arm.

"Earl Douglas does not wish me to accompany the king," whispered John
Heywood. "He is afraid the king might blab out to me a little of that
diabolical work which they will commence at midnight. Well, I call the
devil, as well as the king, my brother, and with his help I too will be
in the green-room at midnight. Ah, the queen is retiring; and there is
the Duke of Norfolk leaving the hall. I have a slight longing to see
whether the duke goes hence luckily and without danger, or if the
soldiers who stand near the coach, as Wriothesley says, will perchance
be the duke's bodyguard for this night."

Slipping out of the hall with the quickness of a cat, John Heywood
passed the duke in the anteroom and hurried on to the outer gateway,
before which the carriages were drawn up.

John Heywood leaned against a pillar and watched. A few minutes, and
the duke's tall and proud form appeared in the entrance-hall; and the
footman, hurrying forward, called his carriage.

The carriage rolled up; the door was opened.

Two men wrapped in black mantles sat by th