endure this torture to the end; and she endured it. No
writhing of her lips, no sigh, no outcry, betrayed the pain that she was
suffering. And if, indeed, her cheeks were pale, and her eye dim, they
were so because she had spent nights watching by her husband's sick-bed,
and because she was mourning for the dying king.

She had the heroism to embrace tenderly this young maiden to whom she
was just going to present her love as a sacrifice, and to listen with a
smile to the enthusiastic words of gratitude, of rapture and expectant
happiness which Elizabeth addressed to her.

With tearless eyes and firm step she returned to her own apartments;
and her voice did not at all tremble, as she bade the chamberlain in
attendance to summon to her the master of horse, Earl Sudley. Only she
had a feeling as though her heart was broken and crushed; and quite
softly, quite humbly, she whispered: "I shall die when he is gone. But
so long as he is here, I will live; and he shall not have a suspicion of
what I suffer!"

And while Catharine suffered so dreadfully, Elizabeth was jubilant with
delight and rapture; for at last she stood at the goal of her wishes,
and this very day she was to become the betrothed of her lover. Oh, how
slow and sluggish crept those minutes along! How many eternities had she
still to wait before he would come--he, her lover, and soon her husband!
Was he already with the queen? Could she expect him already? She stood
as if spellbound at the window, and looked down into the courtyard.
Through that great gateway over there he must come; through that door
yonder he must go, in order to reach the queen's apartments.

She uttered an exclamation, and a glowing blush flitted across her
face. There, there, he was. Yonder drew up his equipage; his gold-laced
lackeys opened the door and he alighted. How handsome he was, and how
magnificent to look upon! How noble and proud his tall figure! How
regularly beautiful his fresh, youthful face! How saucy the haughty
smile about his mouth; and how his eyes flamed and flashed and shone
in wantonness and youthful happiness. His look glanced for a moment at
Elizabeth's window. He saluted her, and then entered the door leading to
the wing of the palace of Whitehall occupied by the queen. Elizabeth's
heart beat so violently that she felt almost suffocated. Now he must
have reached the great staircase--now he was above it--now he was
entering the queen's apartments--he traverses th