d to lay
before the King; but before Kat Howard he would not speak them. For,
with her mad fury for truth and the letter of Truth that she had
gained from reading Seneca till, he thought, her brains were turned,
she would begin a wrangle with him. And he had no time to lose; for
his ears were pricked up, even as he spoke, to catch any breaking of
the silence from the next room where Viridus held Lascelles at the
point of his dagger.

The King said:

'Go thou. If any man stay thee in going whithersoever thou wilt, say
that thou beest upon my business; and woe betide them that stay thee
if thou be not in my cabinet in the half of an hour with them ye speak
of.'

Throckmorton rose stiffly to his feet; at the door he staggered for a
moment, and closed his eyes. His cause was won; but he leant against
the door-post and gazed at Katharine with a piteous and passionate
glance, moving his fingers in his beard, as if he appealed to her in
silence as with the eyes of a faithful hound, neither to judge him
harshly nor to plead against him. This was the day of the most strain
that ever was in his life.

And gazing back at him, Katharine's eyes were filled with pity, so
sick he appeared to be.

* * * * *

'Body of God!' the King said in the silence that fell upon them. 'Now
I hold Cromwell.'

Katharine cried out, 'Let me go; let me go; this is no world for me!'

He caught her masterfully in his arms.

'This is a golden world, and thou a golden Queen,' he said.

She held her head back from his lips, and struggled from him.

'I may not find any straightness here. I can see no clear way. Let me
go.'

He took her again to him, and again she tore herself free.

'Listen to me,' she cried, 'listen to me! There have been broadsides
printed against the truth of my body; there have been witnesses
prepared against me. I will have you swear that you will read of these
broadsides, and consider of these witnesses.'

'Before God,' he said, 'I will hang the printers, and slay the
witnesses with my fist. I know how these things be made.' He shook his
fist. 'I love thee so that were they true, and wert thou the woman of
Sodom, I would have thee to my Queen!'

She cried out 'Ah!'

'Child,' he calmed himself, 'I will keep my hands from thee. But I
would fain have the kisses of thy mouth.'

She went to lean upon her table, for her knees trembled.

'Let me speak,' she said.

'Why, none hinders,' h