? She
has services to reward and offices of piety to perform. She should
not neglect the one or the other. Besides, we know that she will only
concern herself with us, and, through this, my lords, neglect her
own salvation. Grant her, then, a few more days, my lords; and as our
mistress is too proud to ask of you such a favour, I ask you in all our
names, and implore you not to refuse to poor servants a request which
your august queen would certainly not refuse them, if they had the good
fortune to be able to lay it at her feet."

"Is it then true, madam," Sir Robert Beale asked, "that you have not yet
made a will?"

"I have not, sir," the queen answered.

"In that case, my lords," said Sir Robert Beale, turning to the two
earls, "perhaps it would be a good thing to put it off for a day or
two."

"Impossible, sir," replied the Earl of Shrewsbury: "the time is fixed,
and we cannot change anything, even by a minute, now."

"Enough, Bourgoin, enough," said the queen; "rise, I command you."

Bourgoin obeyed, and the Earl of Shrewsbury, turning to Sir Amyas
Paulet, who was behind him--

"Sir Amyas," said he, "we entrust this lady to your keeping: you will
charge yourself with her, and keep her safe till our return."

With these words he went out, followed by the Earl of Kent, Sir Robert
Beale, Amyas Paulet, and Drury, and the queen remained alone with her
servants.

Then, turning to her women with as serene a countenance as if the event
which had just taken place was of little importance--

"Well, Jeanne," said she, speaking to Kennedy, "have I not always told
you, and was I not right, that at the bottom of their hearts they wanted
to do this? and did I not see clearly through all their procedure the
end they had in view, and know well enough that I was too great an
obstacle to their false religion to be allowed to live? Come," continued
she, "hasten supper now, that I may put my affairs in order". Then,
seeing that instead of obeying her, her servants were weeping and
lamenting, "My children," said she, with a sad smile, but without a tear
in her eye, "it is no time for weeping, quite the contrary; for if you
love me, you ought to rejoice that the Lord, in making me die for His
cause, relieves me from the torments I have endured for nineteen years.
As for me, I thank Him for allowing me to die for the glory of His faith
and His Church. Let each have patience, then, and while the men prepare
supper, we women wil