ine whispered at his ear--

'No; this my cousin is distraught. Speak on to the lords.'

In the King's long pause several lords said aloud--

'The King cried "Treason!" Draw your swords!'

Then the King cast his cap upon the ground.

'By God!' he said. 'What marlocking is this? Is it general joy that
emboldens ye to this license? God help me!' he said, and he stamped his
foot upon the ground--'Body of God!' And many other oaths he uttered.
Then, with a sudden clutching at his throat, he called out--

'Well! well! I pardon ye. For no doubt to some that be young--and to
some that be old too--it is an occasion for mummeries and japes when a
good man cometh home to his dame.'

He looked round upon Culpepper. The Queen's cousin stood, his jaw still
hanging wide, and his body crumpled back against the arras. He was
hidden from them all by wall and door, but Henry could not judge how
long he would there remain. Riding through the night he had conned a
speech that he would have said at the Queen's door, and at the times of
joy and graciousness he loved to deliver great speeches. But there he
said only--

'Why, God keep you. I thank such of you as were with me upon the
campaign and journey. Now this campaign and journey is ended--I dissolve
you each to his housing and bed. Farewell. Be as content as I be!'

And, with his great hand he swung to the heavy door.

PART THREE

THE DWINDLING MELODY

I

The Lady Rochford lay back upon the floor in a great faint.

'Heaven help me!' the Queen said. 'I had rather she had played the
villain than been such a palterer.' She glided to the table and picked
up the dagger that shone there beneath Culpepper's nose. 'Take even
this,' she said to the King. 'It is an ill thing to bestow. Sword he
hath none.'

Having had such an estimation of his good wife's wit that, since he
would not have her think him a dullard, he passed over the first
question that he would have asked, such as, 'I think this be thy cousin
and how came he here?'

'Would he have slain me?' he asked instead, as if it were a little
thing.

'I do not think so,' Katharine said. 'Maybe it was me he would have
slain.'

'Body of God!' the King said sardonically. 'He cometh for no cheap
goods.'

He had so often questioned his wife of this cousin of hers that he had
his measure indifferent well.

'Why,' the Queen said, 'I do not know that he would have slain me. Maybe
it was to save me from dragons that