ortal
man or woman.

"'You have been long from England, my lord,' says the Queen: 'why were
you not here to give a home to your mother and sister?'

"'I am come, Madam, to stay now, if the Queen desires me,' says the
Prince, with another low bow.

"'You have taken a foreign wife, my lord, and a foreign religion; was
not that of England good enough for you?'

"'In returning to my father's church,' says the Prince, 'I do not love
my mother the less, nor am I the less faithful servant of your majesty.'

"Here," says Beatrix, "the favorite gave me a little signal with her
hand to fall back, which I did, though I died to hear what should pass;
and whispered something to the Queen, which made her Majesty start and
utter one or two words in a hurried manner, looking towards the Prince,
and catching hold with her hand of the arm of her chair. He advanced
still nearer towards it; he began to speak very rapidly; I caught the
words, 'Father, blessing, forgiveness,'--and then presently the Prince
fell on his knees; took from his breast a paper he had there, handed it
to the Queen, who, as soon as she saw it, flung up both her arms with
a scream, and took away that hand nearest the Prince, and which he
endeavored to kiss. He went on speaking with great animation of gesture,
now clasping his hands together on his heart, now opening them as though
to say: 'I am here, your brother, in your power.' Lady Masham ran round
on the other side of the chair, kneeling too, and speaking with great
energy. She clasped the Queen's hand on her side, and picked up the
paper her Majesty had let fall. The Prince rose and made a further
speech as though he would go; the favorite on the other hand urging her
mistress, and then, running back to the Prince, brought him back once
more close to the chair. Again he knelt down and took the Queen's hand,
which she did not withdraw, kissing it a hundred times; my lady all the
time, with sobs and supplications, speaking over the chair. This while
the Queen sat with a stupefied look, crumpling the paper with one hand,
as my Prince embraced the other; then of a sudden she uttered several
piercing shrieks, and burst into a great fit of hysteric tears and
laughter. 'Enough, enough, sir, for this time,' I heard Lady Masham
say: and the chairman, who had withdrawn round the Banqueting-room, came
back, alarmed by the cries. 'Quick,' says Lady Masham, 'get some help,'
and I ran towards the Doctor, who, with the Bis