ed him steadily in the eye. "Do you know what crime I am
accused of?"

The priest cast down his eyes, and muttered a few unintelligible words.

With a haughty movement of the head, Henry Howard turned from the priest
to the lieutenant of the Tower.

"Do you know my crime, my lord?" said he.

But the lord lieutenant also dropped his eyes, and remained silent.

Henry Howard smiled. "Well, now, I will tell you. I have, as it becomes
me, my father's son, borne the arms of our house on my shield and over
the entrance of my palace, and it has been discovered that the king
bears the same arms that we do. That is my high treason! I have said
that the king is deceived in many of his servants, and often promotes
his favorites to high honors which they do not deserve. That is my
offence against his majesty; and it is that for which I shall lay my
head upon the block. [Footnote: These two insignificant accusations were
the only points that could be made out against the Earl of Surrey.
Upon these charges, brought by his mother and sister, he was
executed.--Tytler, p. 492; Burnet, vol. I, p. 75; Leti, vol. I, p. 108.]
But make yourself easy; I shall myself add to my crimes one more, so
that they may be grievous enough to make the conscience of the righteous
and generous king quiet. I have given up my heart to a wretched and
criminal love, and the Geraldine whom I have sung in many a poem,
and have celebrated even before the king, was nothing but a miserable
coquettish strumpet!"

Jane Douglas gave a scream, and sank upon the ground as if struck by
lightning.

"Do you repent of this sin, my son?" asked the priest. "Do you turn your
heart away from this sinful love, in order to turn it to God?"

"I not only repent of this love, but I execrate it! and now, my father,
let us go; for you see, indeed, my lord is becoming impatient. He bears
in mind that the king will find no rest until the Howards also have gone
to rest. Ah, King Henry! King Henry! Thou callest thyself the mighty
king of the world, and yet thou tremblest before the arms of thy
subject! My lord, if you go to the king to-day, give him Henry Howard's
greeting; and tell him, I wish his bed may be as easy to him as the
grave will be to me. Now, come, my lords! It is time."

With head proudly erect and calm step, he turned to the door. But now
Jane Douglas sprang from the ground; now she rushed to Henry Howard and
clung to him with all the might of her passion and agon