loved you. I die in despair, for I despise and hate you."

"No, no, you dare not die!" cried she, clinging to him with passionate
anguish. "You dare not go to the grave with that fierce curse upon your
lips. I cannot be your murderess. Oh, it is not possible that they will
put you to death--you, the beautiful, the noble and the virtuous Earl
Surrey. My God, what have you done to excite their wrath? You are
innocent; and they know it. They cannot execute you; for it would be
murder! You have committed no offence; you have been guilty of nothing;
no crime attaches to your noble person. It is indeed no crime to love
Jane Douglas, and me have you loved--me alone."

"No, not you," said he proudly; "I have nothing to do with Lady Jane
Douglas. I loved the queen, and I believed she returned my love. That is
my crime."

The door opened: and in solemn silence the lieutenant of the Tower
entered with the priests and his assistants. In the door was seen the
bright-red dress of the headsman, who was standing upon the threshold
with face calm and unmoved.

"It is time!" solemnly said the lieutenant.

The priest muttered his prayers, and the assistants swung their censers.
Without, the death-bell kept up its wail; and from the court was heard
the hum of the mob, which, curious and bloodthirsty as it ever is, had
streamed hither to behold with laughing mouth the blood of the man who
but yesterday was its favorite.

Earl Surrey stood there a moment in silence. His features worked and
were convulsed, and a deathlike pallor covered his cheeks.

He trembled, not at death, but at dying. It seemed to him that he
already felt on his neck the cold broad-axe which that frightful man
there held in his hand. Oh, to die on the battle-field--what a boon it
would have been! To come to an end on the scaffold--what a disgrace was
this!

"Henry Howard, my son, are you prepared to die?" asked the priest. "Have
you made your peace with God? Do you repent of your sins, and do you
acknowledge death as a righteous expiation and punishment? Do you
forgive your enemies, and depart hence at peace with yourself and with
mankind?"

"I am prepared to die," said Surrey, with a proud smile; "the other
questions, my father, I will answer to my God."

"Do you confess that you were a wicked traitor? And do you beg the
forgiveness of your noble and righteous, your exalted and good king, for
the blasphemous injury to his sacred majesty?"

Earl Surrey look