nd in his blasphemous haughtiness he moves along in the midst of the
soldiers, not as a prisoner, but as a commander. Oh, these Howards are
destined to torment me; and even their death will scarcely be a full
satisfaction to me."

"Sire," said Earl Douglas, who had observed the king with a keen,
penetrating eye, and knew that he had now reached the height of
his wrath, at which he shrank from no deed of violence and no
cruelty--"sire, you have sent Earl Surrey to the Tower. But what shall
be done with the queen, who lies there on the floor in a swoon?"

The king roused himself from his reverie; and his bloodshot eyes were
fixed on Geraldine's motionless form with so dark an expression of hate
and rage, that Earl Douglas exultingly said to himself: "The queen is
lost! He will be inexorable!"

"Ah, the queen!" cried Henry, with a savage laugh. "Yea, verily, I
forgot the queen. I did not think of this charming Geraldine! But you
are right, Douglas; we must think of her and occupy ourselves a little
with her! Did you not say that a second coach was ready? Well, then, we
will not hinder Geraldine from accompanying her beloved. She shall be
where he is--in the Tower, and on the scaffold! We will therefore
wake this sentimental lady and show her the last duty of a cavalier by
conducting her to her carriage!"

He was about to approach the figure of the queen lying on the floor.
Earl Douglas held him back.

"Sire," said he, "it is my duty--as your faithful subject, who loves
you and trembles for your welfare--it is my duty to implore you to spare
yourself and preserve your precious and adored person from the venomous
sting of anger and grief. I conjure you, therefore, do not deign to
look again on this woman, who has so deeply injured you. Give me your
orders--what am I to do with her--and allow me first of all to accompany
you to your apartments."

"You are right," said the king, "she is not worthy of having my eyes
rest on her again; and she is even too contemptible for my anger!
We will call the soldiers that they may conduct this traitoress and
adulteress to the tower, as they have done her paramour."

"Yet for that there is needed still a formality. The queen will not be
admitted into the Tower without the king's written and sealed order."

"Then I will draw up that order."

"Sire, in that cabinet yonder may be found the necessary
writing-materials, if it please your majesty."

The king leaned in silence on the