by my sons. How,
then, should any sins of this poor Queen withhold her daughter from
rendering her all the succour in her power? And thou, thou thyself,
Susan, hast taken her for thine own too long to endure to let her
undertake the matter alone and unaided."

"She would not attempt it thus," said Susan.

"I cannot tell; but I should thus be guilty of foiling her in a brave
and filial purpose."

"And yet thou dost hold her poor mother a guilty woman?"

"Said I so? Nay, Susan, I am as dubious as ever I was on that head."

"After hearing the trial?"

"A word in thine ear, my discreet wife. The trial convinced me far
more that place makes honest men act like cruel knaves than of aught
else."

"Then thou holdest her innocent?"

"I said not so. I have known too long how she lives by the weaving of
webs. I know not how it is, but these great folks seem not to deem
that truth in word and deed is a part of their religion. For my part,
I should distrust whatever godliness did not lead to truth, but a plain
man never knows where to have them. That she and poor Antony Babington
were in league to bring hither the Spaniards and restore the Pope, I
have no manner of doubt on the word of both, but then they deem
it--Heaven help them--a virtuous act; and it might be lawful in her,
seeing that she has always called herself a free sovereign unjustly
detained. What he stuck at and she denies, is the purpose of murdering
the Queen's Majesty."

"Sure that was the head and front of the poor young man's offending."

"So it was, but not until he had been urged thereto by his priests, and
had obtained her consent in a letter. Heaven forgive me if I misjudge
any one, but my belief is this--that the letters, whereof only the
deciphered copies were shown, did not quit the hands of either the one
or the other, such as we heard them at Fotheringhay. So poor Babington
said, so saith the Queen of Scots, demanding vehemently to have them
read in her presence before Nau and Curll, who could testify to them.
Cis deemeth that the true letter from Babington is in a packet which,
on learning from Humfrey his suspicion that there was treachery, the
Queen gave her, and she threw down a well at Chartley."

"That was pity."

"Say not so, for had the original letter been seized, it would only
have been treated in the same manner as the copy, and never allowed to
reach Queen Elizabeth."

"I am glad poor Cicely's mother can stand clear