t of what
account were a few years of fevered happiness compared with endless
torture?"

"I will befriend you in spite of yourself," vociferated Herne, seizing
her arm; "you shall go with me!"

"I will not," said Anne, falling on her knees. "Oh, Father of Mercy!"
she cried energetically, "deliver me from this fiend!"

"Take your fate, then!" rejoined Herne, dashing her furiously backwards.

And when her attendants, alarmed by the sound, rushed into the chamber,
they found her stretched on the floor in a state of insensibility.

VII.

How Herne appeared to Henry In the Home Park.

On that same night, at a late hour, a horseman, mounted on a powerful
steed, entered the eastern side of the home park, and stationed himself
beneath the trees. He had not been there long, when the castle clock
tolled forth the hour of midnight, and ere the deep strokes died away, a
second horseman was seen galloping across the moonlit glade towards him.

"Has all been done as I directed, Suffolk?" he demanded, as the newcomer
approached him.

"It has, my liege," replied the duke. "The queen is imprisoned within
her chamber, and will be removed, at early dawn, to the Tower."

"You had better start in an hour from this time," said the king. "It is
a long passage by water, and I am anxious to avoid all chance of attempt
at rescue."

"Your wishes shall be obeyed," replied the duke. "Poor soul! her grief
was most agonizing, and I had much ado to maintain my composure. She
implored, in the most passionate manner, to be allowed to see your
highness before her removal. I told her it was impossible; and that even
if you were at the castle, you would not listen to her supplications."

"You did right," rejoined Henry; "I will never see her more--not that
I fear being moved by her prayers, but that, knowing how deceitful and
faithless she is, I loathe to look upon her. What is expressed upon the
matter by the household? Speak frankly."

"Frankly then," replied the duke, "your highness's proceedings are
regarded as harsh and unjustifiable. The general opinion is, that you
only desire to remove Anne to make way for Mistress Jane Seymour."

"Ha! they talk thus, do they?" cried the king. "I will silence their
saucy prating ere long. Tell all who venture to speak to you on the
subject that I have long suspected the queen of a secret liking for
Norris, but that I determined to conceal my suspicions till I found I
had good warrant f