en the heavy damask curtains of the royal couch.

The king sleeps. Even vexation and anger are a good lullaby; they have
so agitated and prostrated the king, that he has actually fallen asleep
from weariness.

Ah, the king should have been thankful to his wife for his vexation
at the lost game of chess, and his wrath at Catharine's heretical
sentiments. These had fatigued him; these had lulled him to sleep.

The warrant of arrest still lay on the floor. Now, quite softly, quite
cautiously, the door opens. Who is it that dares venture to enter the
king's room unsummoned and unannounced?

There are only three persons who dare venture that: the queen, Princess
Elizabeth, and John Heywood the fool. Which of the three is it?

It is Princess Elizabeth, who comes to salute her royal father. Every
forenoon at this hour she had found the king in his room. Where was
he then to-day? As she looked around the room with an inquiring and
surprised air, her eye fell on that paper which lay there on the floor.
She picked it up, and examined it with childish curiosity. What could
this paper contain? Surely it was no secret--else, it would not lie here
on the floor.

She opened it and read. Her fine countenance expressed horror and
amazement; a low exclamation escaped her lips. But Elizabeth had a
strong and resolute soul; and the unexpected and the surprising did not
dull her clear vision, nor cloud her sharp wit. The queen was in danger.
The queen was to be imprisoned. THAT, this dreadful paper shrieked in
her ear; but she durst not allow herself to be stunned by it. She must
act; she must warn the queen.

She hid the paper in her bosom, and light as a zephyr she floated away
again out of the chamber.

With flashing eyes and cheeks reddened by her rapid race Elizabeth
entered the queen's chamber; with passionate vehemence she clasped her
in her arms and tenderly kissed her.

"Catharine, my queen, and my mother," said she, "we have sworn to stand
by and protect each other when danger threatens us. Fate is gracious to
me, for it has given into my hand the means of making good my oath
this very day. Take that paper and read! It is an order for your
imprisonment, made out by the king himself. When you have read it, then
let us consider what is to be done, and how we can avert the danger from
you."

"An order of imprisonment!" said Catharine, with a shudder, as she read
it. "An order of imprisonment--that is to say, a death-warra