r
valour up against the other's dark and rigid figure, she spoke
rapidly:

She would have her lady write to her friends across the sea that, if
Cromwell were ever to fall, they must now stay their hands against the
King: they must diminish their bands, discontinue their fortifyings
and feign even to quarrel amongst themselves. Otherwise the King must
rest firm in his alliance with Cleves, to counterbalance them.

The Lady Mary raised her eyebrows with a show of insolent astonishment
that was for all the world like the King's.

'You affect my father!' she said. 'Is it not a dainty plan?'

Katharine brushed past her words with:

'It matters little who affects what thing. The main is that Privy Seal
must be cast down.'

'Carthage must be destroyed, O Cato,' the Lady Mary sneered. 'Ye are
peremptory.'

'I am as God made me,' Katharine answered. 'I am for God's Church....'
She had a sharp spasm of impatience. 'Here is a thing to do, and the
one and the other snarl like dogs, each for his separate ends.'

'Oh, la, la,' the Lady Mary laughed.

'A Howard is as good as any man,' Katharine said. Her ingenuous face
flushed, and she moved her hand to her throat. 'God help me: it is
true that I swore to be your woman. But it is the true province of
your woman to lead you to work for justice and the truth.'

A black malignancy settled upon the face of the princess.

'I have been called bastard,' she said. 'My mother was done to
death.'

'No true man believes you misbegotten,' Katharine answered hotly.

'Well, it is proclaimed treason, to speak thus,' the Lady Mary
sneered.

'Neither can you give your sainted mother her life again.' Katharine
ignored her words. 'But these actions were not your father's. It was
an ill man forced him to them. The saints be good to you; is it not
time to forgive a sad man that would make amends? I would have you to
write this letter.'

The Lady Mary's lips moved into the curves of a tormenting smile.

'You plead your lover's cause main well,' she uttered.

Katharine had another motion of impatience.

'Your cause I plead main better,' she said. 'It is certain that, this
man once down, your bastardy should be reversed.'

'I do not ask it,' the Lady Mary said.

'But I ask that you give us peace here, so that the King may make
amends to many that he hath sorely wronged. Do you not see that the
King inclineth to the Church of God? Do you not see....'

'I see very plainly that I nee