O Venus, take thy gifts again!
Make not so fair to cause our moan,
Or make a heart that's like your own."

The lute rippled away into silence.

* * * *

Mary rose quietly to her feet and nodded to Anthony.

"Come back, you two!" cried the Queen.

Mary stepped straight through, the lad behind her.

"Well," said the Queen, turning to them and showing her black teeth in a
smile. "Have I kept my word?"

"Ah! your Grace," said Mary, curtseying to the ground, "you have made
some simple loving hearts very happy to-day--I do not mean Sir Francis'."

The Queen laughed.

"Come here, child," she said, holding out her glittering hand, "down
here," and Mary sank down on the Queen's footstool, and leaned against
her knee like a child, smiling up into her face; while Elizabeth put her
hand under her chin and kissed her twice on the forehead.

"There, there," she said caressingly, "have I made amends? Am I a hard
mistress?"

And she threw her left hand round the girl's neck and began to play with
the diamond pendant in her ear, and to stroke the smooth curve of her
cheek with her flashing fingers.

Anthony, a little on one side, stood watching and wondering at this silky
tigress who raged so fiercely just now.

Elizabeth looked up in a moment and saw him.

"Why, here is the tall lad here still," she said, "eyeing us as if we
were monsters. Have you never yet seen two maidens loving one another,
that you stare so with your great eyes? Aha! Minnie; he would like to be
sitting where I am--is it not so, sir?"

"I would sooner stand where I am, madam," said Anthony, by a sudden
inspiration, "and look upon your Grace."

"Why, he is a courtier already," said the Queen. "You have been giving
him lessons, Minnie, you sly girl."

"A loyal heart makes the best courtier, madam," said Mary, taking the
Queen's hand delicately in her own.

"And next to looking upon my Grace, Mr. Norris," said Elizabeth, "what do
you best love?"

"Listening to your Grace," said Anthony, promptly.

Mary turned and flashed all her teeth upon him in a smile, and her eyes
danced in her head.

Elizabeth laughed outright.

"He is an apt pupil," she said to Mary.

"--You mean the lute, sir?" she added.

"I mean your Grace's voice, madam. I had forgotten the lute."

"Ah, a little clumsy!" said the Queen; "not so true a thrust as the
others."

"It was not for lack of good-will," said po