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She wondered where he could be, and imagined him with that short sword, cutting his way to her side. 'That sight is allegorically to show, Viridus was commenting beside her, 'how the high valour of Britain shall defend from all foes this noble Queen. The lion having reached its meat lay down upon it. Katharine remembered that Bishop Gardiner said that her cousin must be begone.
So she could not go a-hawking, neither could she shoot with the bow, and her attendants the women, bound about the middle and spreading out above and below like bolsters, and the men, who wore their immense scolloped hats falling over their ears even at meal-times excited disgust and derision by the noises they made when they ate. The Master Viridus had Katharine Howard in his keeping.
And when you shall observe him to be much heated with the subtle drug and your hintings, you shall say to him, "Lo, next this door is the door of the Lady Katharine. Go see if perchance she have not even now this yeoman with her." Viridus nodded his head once up and down; Lascelles clapped his hands twice for joy at this contrivance.
He moved his dagger yet nearer to Lascelles' form and held his finger to his lip. Viridus had never once moved; he stayed now as still as ever. Culpepper crammed his hand over his lips. For from without there came the sound of voices and, in that dead silence, the rustle of a woman's gown, swishing and soft. A deep voice uttered heavily: 'Aye, I know your feelings.
Never once did he take his eyes from Lascelles, and the sweat stood upon his forehead. Once when Lascelles moved he slid the dagger along the table with a sharp motion and a gasping of breath, as a pincer pressed to the death will make a faint. Yet his voice neither raised itself nor fell one shade. 'And if I will aid you in this, what reward do I get? Viridus asked.
'This work of fetching her cousin from Paris I will put into the hands of Viridus, he said. 'I believe her to be virtuous, therefore do you bring many witnesses, and some that shall swear to have seen her in the act. That shall be your employment. For I tell you she hath so great a power of pleading that, being innocent, she will with difficulty be proved unchaste.
Watching the door that closed upon her, Viridus said, with a negligent amusement: 'That fool Udal hath set it all about that your lordship designed her for the recreation of his Highness. 'Why, Cromwell answered, with his motionless smile of contempt for his fellow men, 'it is well to offer bribes to fools and threats to knaves.
Whither should we all flee then! 'It is not, Viridus commented dryly, 'that his Highness or my lord here do fear a fool prophecy made by a drunken man. But there being such a prophecy running up and down the land, and such a malignant and devilish Red Cap ranting up and down the world, the hearts of foolish subjects are made to turn.
And he had Viridus to swear that Cromwell had said, before his armoury, to the Ambassador of the Schmalkaldners, that ne King, ne Emperor had such another armoury, yet were there twenty score great houses in England that had better, all ready to arm to defend the Protestant faith and Privy Seal. These things he was minded to lay before the King; but before Kat Howard he would not speak them.
Viridus spoke no word; but when Culpepper, idle and gaping, reached out his hand to take the black flagon of wine that was between them under the candles on the table, Viridus stretched forth his hand and clasped the bottle. 'It is not expedient that you drink, he said. 'Why somever then? Culpepper asked.
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