登陆注册
15313700000086

第86章 CARDINAL WOLSEY(22)

Luckily, Suffolk is here, and his enmity to the cardinal will make him a sure friend to us.Pray Heaven you have not given the king fresh occasion for jealousy! That is all I fear."And quitting his daughter, he sought out Suffolk, who, alarmed at what appeared like a restoration of Wolsey to favour, promised heartily to co-operate with him in the struggle; and that no time might be lost, the duke proceeded at once to the royal closet, where he found the king pacing moodily to and fro.

"Your majesty seems disturbed," said the duke.

"Disturbed!--ay!" exclaimed the king."I have enough to disturb me.Iwill never love again.I will forswear the whole sex.Harkee, Suffolk, you are my brother, my second self, and know all the secrets of my heart.After the passionate devotion I have displayed for Anne Boleyn--after all I have done for her--all I have risked for her--I have been deceived.""Impossible, my liege?" exclaimed Suffolk.

"Why, so I thought," cried Henry, "and I turned a deaf ear to all insinuations thrown out against her, till proof was afforded which Icould no longer doubt."

"And what was the amount of the proof, my liege?" asked Suffolk.

"These letters," said Henry, handing them to him, "found on the person of Sir Thomas Wyat.""But these only prove, my liege, the existence of a former passion--nothing more," remarked Suffolk, after he had scanned them.

"But she vows eternal constancy to him!" cried Henry; "says she shall ever love him--says so at the time she professes devoted love for me!

How can I trust her after that? Suffolk, I feel she does not love me exclusively; and my passion is so deep and devouring, that it demands entire return.I must have her heart as well as her person; and I feel Ihave only won her in my quality of king.""I am persuaded your majesty is mistaken," said the duke."Would Icould think so!" sighed Henry."But no--no, I cannot be deceived.I will conquer this fatal passion.Oh, Suffolk! it is frightful to be the bondslave of a woman--a fickle, inconstant woman.But between the depths of love and hate is but a step; and I can pass from one to the other.""Do nothing rashly, my dear liege," said Suffolk; "nothing that may bring with it after-repentance.Do not be swayed by those who have inflamed your jealousy, and who could practise upon it.Think the matter calmly over, and then act.And till you have decided, see neither Catherine nor Anne; and, above all, do not admit Wolsey to your secret counsels.""You are his enemy, Suffolk," said the king sternly.

"I am your majesty's friend," replied the duke." I beseech you, yield to me on this occasion, and I am sure of your thanks hereafter.""Well, I believe you are right, my good friend and brother," said Henry, "and I will curb my impulses of rage and jealousy.To-morrow, before Isee either the queen or Anne, we will ride forth into the forest, and talk the matter further over.""Your highness has come to a wise determination," said the duke.

"Oh,Suffolk!" sighed Henry, "would I had never seen this siren! She exercises a fearful control over me, and enslaves my very soul.""I cannot say whether it is for good or ill that you have met, my dear liege," replied Suffolk, "but I fancy I can discern the way in which your ultimate decision will be taken.But it is now near midnight.I wish your majesty sound and untroubled repose.""Stay!" cried Henry, "I am about to visit the Curfew Tower, and must take you with me.I will explain my errand as we go.I had some thought of sending you there in my stead.Ha!" he exclaimed, glancing at his finger, "By Saint Paul, it is gone!""What is gone, my liege?" asked Suffolk.

My signet," replied Henry," I missed it not till now.It has been wrested from me by the fiend, during my walk from the Curfew Tower.Let us not lose a moment, or the prisoners will be set free by him,--if they have not been liberated already."So saying, he took a couple of dags--a species of short gun-- from a rest on the wall, and giving one to Suffolk, thrust the other into his girdle.

Thus armed, they quitted the royal lodgings, and hurried in the direction of the Curfew Tower.Just as they reached the Horseshoe Cloisters, the alarm-bell began to ring.

"Did I not tell you so?" cried Henry furiously; "they have escaped.Ha! it ceases!--what has happened?"About a quarter of an hour after the king had quitted the Curfew Tower, a tall man, enveloped in a cloak, and wearing a high conical cap, presented himself to the arquebusier stationed at the entrance to the dungeon, and desired to be admitted to the prisoners.

"I have the king's signet," he said, holding forth the ring.On seeing this, the arquebusier, who recognised the ring, unlocked the door, and admitted him.Mabel was kneeling on the ground beside her grandsire, with her hands raised as in prayer, but as the tall man entered the vault, she started to her feet, and uttered a slight scream.

"What is the matter, child?" cried Tristram..

"He is here!--he is come!" cried Mabel, in a tone of the deepest terror.

"Who--the king?" cried Tristram, looking up."Ah! I see! Herne is come to deliver me.""Do not go with him, grandsire," cried Mabel."In the name of all the saints, I implore you, do not.""Silence her! "said Herne in a harsh, imperious voice," or I leave you."The old man looked imploringly at his granddaughter.

"You know the conditions of your liberation? "said Herne.

"I do--I do," replied Tristram hastily, and with a shudder.

"Oh, grandfather!" cried Mabel, falling at his feet, "do not, I conjure you, make any conditions with this dreaded being, or it will be at the expense of your salvation.Better I should perish at the stake--better you should suffer the most ignominious death, than this should be.""Do you accept them?" cried Herne, disregarding her supplications.

Tristram answered in the affirmative.

同类推荐
  • 孝感天

    孝感天

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 张乖崖集

    张乖崖集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 师友诗传录

    师友诗传录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • Acres of Diamonds

    Acres of Diamonds

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 揵稚梵赞

    揵稚梵赞

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 都市完美护花狂龙

    都市完美护花狂龙

    他叫叶秋,一心想要过安稳日子,现实却非要逼良为娼,美女总裁投怀送抱,窈窕杀手任君采劼,校花也不甘落后,萌萌哒小萝莉大喊着,“大叔,不要跑!”
  • TFBOYS之依溪记得你

    TFBOYS之依溪记得你

    她究竟是谁?是世界第一集团樱雪的总裁?还是冷酷无情的黑道惊羽帮的帮主?还是……她和他的爱情,会如何?
  • 战破天穹记

    战破天穹记

    秦毅本赤川大帝的儿子,生在至高的神界,本应高高在上的天之骄子确因一次叛变流落凡间,失去了所有。为了父亲和那美丽的女孩一步步重回神界战破这天穹
  • exo之我的完美新娘

    exo之我的完美新娘

    四年前,她是他们的未婚妻,但是她厌恶的!甩开他们的手:“放开我,四年后我回来,若是没有爱上别人,我就选择爱上你们,心甘情愿嫁给你们”四年后,她欢欢喜喜的从法国回来,要与他们完婚,而他们却冷眼相对,护着他们手掌心的朴素清,冷哼道:“完婚?抱歉,我们会想办法退掉!”在他们不知道的一个小巷子,朴素清讽刺的看着趴在地上衣衫不整的林梦言:“林梦言,这是你自己作得下场!”对啊!一切,都是她咎由自取,她抱紧差点被毁掉的自己!
  • 仙尘巅峰

    仙尘巅峰

    一次星空探险,一场空间风暴,一块家传玉牌,带领张逸来到波澜壮阔的修仙世界,仙路崎岖,灵根驳杂,凭借这家传的那块神秘的玉牌,他能否在这个冷血无情、凶险狡诈的修仙世界走到巅峰,逆天成仙。
  • 漠南之战

    漠南之战

    “元朔六年(前123),霍去病被汉武帝任为嫖姚校尉,随卫青击匈奴于漠南,以800人歼2028人,受封冠军侯。”——史记
  • 极品男色,妻主太萌

    极品男色,妻主太萌

    这是一个无意中获得某种异能的萌女,悲催的掉入古代男伶馆的轻松诙谐故事。俗话说的好,历史陈阿娇,那是金屋藏娇的开山鼻祖。她也自称阿娇,不过很可惜,她姓焦名佩。谁能想象一个以长发为美的女尊世界。一个剪着娃娃头的圆脸小可爱,她背着大包头盘黑猫,就掉入了一个满是绝色的男伶馆?(本文纯属虚构,请勿模仿。)
  • 卿本佳人之毒后在上

    卿本佳人之毒后在上

    穿越重生的剧情难道不应该是,貌美如花,美男如云,十八般武艺样样俱全?怎么到了她这里就成了一个苦哈哈的为质皇子?皇子!拜托!她是个如假包换的小女子好么?好不容易混出个凤凰郡主的身份,原以为生活可以回到正轨……除奸臣,斩妖妃,华丽丽的宫斗又开场了。草芥出身的新科状元,少年英姿的暗卫将军,胸怀江山的异国皇子,一个个都围在她身边做什么。喂喂喂,搞搞清楚之前她的身份是刚刚登基的少年帝王,现在她的头衔是刚刚新寡的皇后,怎么做真的合适么?她好好的一个清丽佳人怎么就成了人人胆寒的毒凤凰?午夜梦回,男子冷冽的声音响起:“洵儿,你既是我的命数,我认命便是了……”大片妖冶的血花在眼前绽开,惊醒!还是这纤纤素手,只是她还是不是她?
  • 堕凡之神:双面堕神不好惹

    堕凡之神:双面堕神不好惹

    因为一个丧心病狂的人,一件丧心病狂的事,神界神力之最洛神终于堕落到凡间,罚她历经人世间的生老病死,却在人间遇到美好的人和事,在最落魄和最弱的时候遇见了他。虽然是魔界之尊,但他知道,他和她的差距,并不大!六个人,同一个世界,若要战,那边来战!当她重返天庭,又会掀起怎样的滔天大浪?当她知道真相时,又会是怎样的一番惊讶?“若若。”“死丫头。”“老大。”“老大。”“族长。”幸好,在这六界之中,我还有你们。
  • 安家姐妹VS傲娇校草

    安家姐妹VS傲娇校草

    刚匆匆从国外回来的安家姐妹花又突然被父母叫去格兰贵族学院?都拿到博士学位了还要上学?还误惹学校的校草,不不不,是大恶魔!从此,王子们便上演了一场追妻之路。而她们身上又会有着什么不为人知的秘密?是恨意的萌生,是不得不的分离,最终能否放下?