ell, his
Highness getteth enraged. "All is well," he will swear. "All is well,
for I made it"--and he would throw his cap into the face of Almighty
God rather than change one jot of his work. In short, if you will
praise him you make him humble, for at bottom the man is humble; if
you will blame him you will render him rigid as steel and more proud
than the lightning. For, before the world's eyes, this man must be
proud, else he would die.'

Katharine had her hand upon her cheek. She said musingly:

'His Highness did threaten me with a gaol. But you say he will not
strike. If I should pray him to restore the Church of God, would he
not strike then?'

'Child,' Throckmorton answered, 'it will lie with the way you ask it.
If you say: "This land is heathen, your Grace hath so made it," his
Highness will be more than terrible. But if you say: "This land
prospereth exceedingly and is beloved of the Mother of God," his
Highness will begin to doubt that he hath done little to pleasure
God's Mother--or to pleasure you who love that Heavenly Rose. Say how
all good people rejoice that his Highness hath given them a faith pure
and acceptable. And very shortly his Highness will begin to wonder of
his Faith.'

'But that were an ignoble flattery,' Katharine said.

He answered quietly:

'No! no! For indeed his Highness hath given all he could give. It is
the hard world that hath pushed him against you and against his good
will. Believe me, his Highness loveth good doctrine better than you,
I, or the Bishop of Rome. So that....'

He paused, and concluded:

'This Lord Cromwell moves in the shadow of a little thing that casts
hardly any shadow. You have seen it?'

She shook her head negligently, and he laughed:

'Why, you will see it yet. A small, square thing upon a green hill.
The noblest of our land kneel before it, by his Highness' orders. Yet
the worship of idols is contemned now.' He let his malicious eyes
wander over her relaxed, utterly resting figure.

'I would ye would suffer me to kiss you on the mouth,' he sighed.

'Why, get you gone,' she said, without anger.

'Oh, aye,' he said, with some feeling. 'It is pleasant to be desired
as I desire you. But it is true that ye be meat for my masters.'

'I will take help from none of your lies.' She returned to her main
position.

He removed his bonnet, and bowed so low to her that his great and
shining beard hung far away from his chest.

'Madam Howard,' he mocked