matter better than she herself could do it.

[Sidenote: Somerset.]

It will be recollected that Somerset was married during the period of
his former acquaintance with Lady Neville, but his wife had died while
Lady Neville was in France, and he was now free; so that the plan
which the queen and Lady Neville now formed was to give him an
opportunity, if he still retained his love for her, to make her his
wife.

[Sidenote: A secret interview planned.]

In the prosecution of her design, the queen made arrangements for a
secret interview with Somerset, and in the interview informed him that
Lady Neville was still alive and well; that she was, moreover, not far
away, and it was in the queen's power to restore her to him if he
desired again to see her, and that she would do so on certain
conditions.

Somerset was overjoyed at hearing this news. At first he could not be
persuaded that it was true; and when assured positively that it was
so, and that the long-lost Lady Neville was alive and well, and in
England, he was in a fever of impatience to see her again. He would
agree to any conditions, he said, that the queen might name, as the
price of having her restored to him.

[Sidenote: The three conditions.]

The queen said that the conditions were three.

The first was that he was to see her but once, and that only for a few
minutes, in order that he might be convinced that she was really
alive, and then was to leave her and not to see her again until the
Duke of Gloucester had fallen from power.

The second was that he should pretend to be not on good terms with the
queen herself, in order to avert suspicion in respect to some of her
schemes until such time as she should be ready to receive him again
into favor.

[Sidenote: Party against Gloucester.]

The third was that he should do all he could to increase and
strengthen the party against the duke, by turning as many as possible
of his friends, and those over whom he had any influence, against him,
and then finally, when the party should become sufficiently strong, to
prefer charges against him in Parliament, and bring him to trial.

Somerset at once agreed to all these conditions, and the queen then
admitted him to an interview with Lady Neville.

[Sidenote: The interview.]

He was overwhelmed with transports of love and joy at once more
beholding her and pressing her in his arms. The queen, who was
present, was very much interested in witnessing the proofs