Windsor Castle [153]
"Jane Seymour's charms have usurped entire sovereignty over him. With all her air of ingenuousness and simplicity, the minion is artful and dangerous She has a high mark, I am persuaded--no less than the throne."
"But Henry cannot wed her--he cannot divorce me," said Anne.
"So thought Catherine of Arragon," replied her father; "and yet she was divorced. Anne, I am convinced a plot is hatching against you."
"You do not fear for my life, father? "she cried, trembling.
"I trust there are no grounds for charges against you by which it might be brought in jeopardy," replied the earl gravely.
"None, father--none!" she exclaimed.
"I am glad of it," rejoined the earl; "for I have heard that the king said to one who suggested another divorce to him, ' No, if the queen comes within the scope of the divorce, she also comes within the pale of the scaffold.'"
"A pledge was extorted from him to that effect," said Anne, in a hollow voice.
"That an attempt will be made against you, I firmly believe," replied the earl; "but if you are wholly innocent you have nothing. to fear."
"Oh, father! I know not that," cried Anne. "Innocence avails little with the stony-hearted Henry."
"It will prove your best safeguard," said the earl. "And now farewell, daughter! Heaven guard you! Keep the strictest watch upon yourself."
So saying, he quitted the apartment, and as soon as she was left alone, the unhappy Anne burst into an agony of tears.
From this state of affliction she was roused by hearing her own name pronounced in low accents, and looking up, she beheld Sir Henry Norris.
"Oh, Norris!" she said, in a tone of reproach, " you have come hither to destroy me."
"No one knows of my coming," he said; "at least, no one who will betray me. I was brought hither by one who will take care we are not observed."
"By Herne?" demanded Anne.
Norris answered in the affirmative.
". Would you had never leagued yourself with him! " she cried; "I fear the rash act will bring destruction upon us both."
" It is too late. to retract now," he replied; "besides, there was no help for it. I sacrificed myself to preserve you."
"But will the sacrifice preserve me?" she cried. "I fear not. I have just been told that the king is preparing some terrible measure against me-- that he meditates removing me, to make way for Jane Seymour."
"You have heard the truth, madam," replied Norris.;he will try to bring you to the block."
"And with him, to try is to achieve," said Anne. "Oh, Norris! it is a fearful thing to contemplate such a death!"
"But why contemplate it, madam?" said Norris; "why, if you are satisfied that the king has such designs against you - why, if you feel that he will succeed, tarry for the fatal blow? Fly with me--fly with one who loves you, and will devote his whole life to you--who regards you, not as the queen, but as Anne Boleyn. Relinquish this false and hollow grandeur, and fly with me to happiness and peace."
"And relinquish my throne to Jane Seymour?" rejoined Anne "Never! I feel that all you assert is true--that my present position is hazardous-- that Jane Seymour is in the ascendant, while I am on the decline, if not wholly sunk--that you love me entirely, and would devote your life to me--still, with all these motives for dread, I cannot prevail upon myself voluntarily to give up my title, and to abandon my post to a rival."
"You do not love me, then, as I love you, Anne," said Norris. "If I were a king,I would abandon my throne for you."
"You think so now, Norris, because you are not king," she replied. "But I am queen, and will remain so, till I am forced to abandon my dignity."
"I understand, madam," rejoined Norris gloomily. "But oh I bethink you to what risks you expose yourself. You know the king's terrible determination--his vindictiveness, his ferocity."
"Full well," she replied--" full well; but I will rather die a queen than live disgrace and ruined. In wedding Henry the Eighth, I laid my account to certain risks, and those I must brave."
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"But Henry cannot wed her--he cannot divorce me," said Anne.
"So thought Catherine of Arragon," replied her father; "and yet she was divorced. Anne, I am convinced a plot is hatching against you."
"You do not fear for my life, father? "she cried, trembling.
"I trust there are no grounds for charges against you by which it might be brought in jeopardy," replied the earl gravely.
"None, father--none!" she exclaimed.
"I am glad of it," rejoined the earl; "for I have heard that the king said to one who suggested another divorce to him, ' No, if the queen comes within the scope of the divorce, she also comes within the pale of the scaffold.'"
"A pledge was extorted from him to that effect," said Anne, in a hollow voice.
"That an attempt will be made against you, I firmly believe," replied the earl; "but if you are wholly innocent you have nothing. to fear."
"Oh, father! I know not that," cried Anne. "Innocence avails little with the stony-hearted Henry."
"It will prove your best safeguard," said the earl. "And now farewell, daughter! Heaven guard you! Keep the strictest watch upon yourself."
So saying, he quitted the apartment, and as soon as she was left alone, the unhappy Anne burst into an agony of tears.
From this state of affliction she was roused by hearing her own name pronounced in low accents, and looking up, she beheld Sir Henry Norris.
"Oh, Norris!" she said, in a tone of reproach, " you have come hither to destroy me."
"No one knows of my coming," he said; "at least, no one who will betray me. I was brought hither by one who will take care we are not observed."
"By Herne?" demanded Anne.
Norris answered in the affirmative.
". Would you had never leagued yourself with him! " she cried; "I fear the rash act will bring destruction upon us both."
" It is too late. to retract now," he replied; "besides, there was no help for it. I sacrificed myself to preserve you."
"But will the sacrifice preserve me?" she cried. "I fear not. I have just been told that the king is preparing some terrible measure against me-- that he meditates removing me, to make way for Jane Seymour."
"You have heard the truth, madam," replied Norris.;he will try to bring you to the block."
"And with him, to try is to achieve," said Anne. "Oh, Norris! it is a fearful thing to contemplate such a death!"
"But why contemplate it, madam?" said Norris; "why, if you are satisfied that the king has such designs against you - why, if you feel that he will succeed, tarry for the fatal blow? Fly with me--fly with one who loves you, and will devote his whole life to you--who regards you, not as the queen, but as Anne Boleyn. Relinquish this false and hollow grandeur, and fly with me to happiness and peace."
"And relinquish my throne to Jane Seymour?" rejoined Anne "Never! I feel that all you assert is true--that my present position is hazardous-- that Jane Seymour is in the ascendant, while I am on the decline, if not wholly sunk--that you love me entirely, and would devote your life to me--still, with all these motives for dread, I cannot prevail upon myself voluntarily to give up my title, and to abandon my post to a rival."
"You do not love me, then, as I love you, Anne," said Norris. "If I were a king,I would abandon my throne for you."
"You think so now, Norris, because you are not king," she replied. "But I am queen, and will remain so, till I am forced to abandon my dignity."
"I understand, madam," rejoined Norris gloomily. "But oh I bethink you to what risks you expose yourself. You know the king's terrible determination--his vindictiveness, his ferocity."
"Full well," she replied--" full well; but I will rather die a queen than live disgrace and ruined. In wedding Henry the Eighth, I laid my account to certain risks, and those I must brave."
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