nd thus, with her eyes upon the writing,
brought out the words--

'This knight bids you beware of one Mary Lascelles or Hall, and her
brother, Edward Lascelles, that is of the Archbishop's service.'

'I will not hear what Throckmorton says,' Katharine answered.

'Ay, but you shall,' Mary said, 'or I come down from this chair. I am
not minded to be allied to a Queen that shall be undone. That is not
prudence.'

'God help me!' the Queen said.

'God helps most willingly them that take counsel with themselves and
prudence,' her step-daughter answered; 'and these are the words of the
knight.' She held up the parchment and read out:

'"Therefore I--and you know how much your well-wisher I be--upon my
bended knees do pray you do one of two things: either to put out both
these twain from your courts and presence, or if that you cannot or will
not do, so richly to reward them as that you shall win them to your
service. For a little rotten fruit will spread a great stink; a small
ferment shall pollute a whole well. And these twain, I am advised,
assured, convinced, and have convicted them, will spread such a rotten
fog and mist about your reputation and so turn even your good and
gracious actions to evil seeming that--I swear and vow, O most high
Sovereign, for whom I have risked, as you wot, life, limb and the fell
rack----"'

The Lady Mary looked up at the Queen's face.

'Will you not listen to the pleadings of this man?' she said.

'I will so reward Lascelles and his sister as they have merited.' the
Queen said. 'So much and no more. And not all the pleadings of this
knight shall move me to listen to any witness that he brings against any
man nor maid. So help me, God; for I do know how he served his master
Cromwell.'

'For love of thee!' the Lady Mary said.

The Queen wrung her hands as if she would wash a stain from them.

'God help me!' she said. 'I prayed the King for the life of Privy Seal
that was!'

'He would not hear thee,' the Lady Mary said. She looked long upon the
Queen's face with unmoved and searching eyes.

'It is a new thing to me,' she said,'to hear that you prayed for Privy
Seal's life.'

'Well, I prayed,' Katharine said, 'for I did not think he worked treason
against the King.'

The Lady Mary straightened her back where she sat.

'I think I will not show myself less queenly than you,' she said. 'For I
be of a royal race. But hear this knight.'

And again she read:

'"I have it from