登陆注册
4619000000098

第98章 THE QUEEN'S ROSETTE.(6)

"Yes,I was with Anne Askew!" continued the queen--"with Anne Askew, whom those pious and wise lords yonder had condemned, not so much on account of her faith, but because they knew that I loved her. Anne Askew was to die, because Catharine Parr loved her! She was to go to the stake, that my heart also might burn with fiery pains! And because it was so, I was obliged to risk everything in order to save her. Oh, my king, say yourself, did I not owe it to this poor girl to try everything in order to save her? On my account she was to suffer these tortures. For they had shamefully stolen from me a letter which Anne Askew, in the distress of her heart, had addressed to me; and they showed this letter to you in order to cast suspicion on me and accuse me to you. But your noble heart repelled the suspicion; and now their wrath fell again on Anne Askew, and she must suffer, because they did not find me punishable. She must atone for having dared to write to me. They worked matters with you so that she was put to the rack. But when my husband gave way to their urging, yet the noble king remained still awake in him. 'Go,' said he, 'rack her and kill her; but see first whether she will not recant.'"Henry looked astonished into her noble and defiant face. "Do you know that?" asked he. "And yet we were alone, and no human being present. Who could tell you that?""When man is no longer able to help, then God undertakes!" said Catharine solemnly. "It was God who commanded me to go to Anne Askew, and try whether I could save her. And I went. But though the wife of a noble and great king, I am still but a weak and timid woman. I was afraid to tread this gloomy and dangerous path alone; Ineeded a strong manly arm to lean upon; and so John Heywood lent me his.""And you were really with Anne Askew," interposed the king, thoughtfully--"with that hardened sinner, who despised mercy, and in the stubbornness of her soul would not be a partaker of the pardon that I offered her?""My lord and husband," said the queen, with tears in her eyes, "she whom you have just accused stands even now before the throne of the Lord, and has received from her God the forgiveness of her sins!

Therefore, do you likewise pardon her; and may the flames of the stake, to which yesterday the noble virgin body of this girl was bound, have consumed also the wrath and hatred which had been kindled in your heart against her! Anne Askew passed away like a saint; for she forgave all her enemies and blessed her tormentors.""Anne Askew was a damnable sinner, who dared resist the command of her lord and king!" interrupted Bishop Gardiner, looking daggers at her.

"And dare you maintain, my lord, that you at that time fulfilled the commands of your royal master simply and exactly?" asked Catharine.

"Did you keep within them with respect to Anne Askew? No! I say; for the king had not ordered you to torture her; he had not bidden you to lacerate in blasphemous wrath a noble human form, and distort that likeness of God into a horrible caricature. And that, my lord, you did! Before God and your king, I accuse you of it--I, the queen!

For you know, my lord and husband, I was there when Anne Askew was racked. I saw her agony, and John Heywood saw it with me."The eyes of all were now directed inquiringly to the king, of whose ferocity and choler every one expected a violent outbreak.

But this time they were mistaken. The king was so well satisfied to find his consort clear of the crime laid to her charge, that he willingly forgave her for having committed a crime of less weighty character. Besides, it filled him with respect to see his consort confronting her accusers so boldly and proudly; and he felt toward them just as burning wrath and hatred as he had before harbored against the queen. He was pleased that the malignant and persistent persecutors of his fair and proud wife should now be humbled by her before the eyes of all his court.

Therefore he looked at her with an imperceptible smile, and said with deep interest: "But how could this happen, my lady? By what path did you get thither?""That is an inquiry which any one except the king is authorized to make. King Henry alone knows the way that I went!" said Catharine, with a slight smile.

John Heywood, who was still standing behind the king's throne, now bent down close to Henry's ear, and spoke with him a long time in a quick, low tone.

同类推荐
  • CLIGES

    CLIGES

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 茶酒论

    茶酒论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 脉因证治

    脉因证治

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 洞真西王母宝神起居经

    洞真西王母宝神起居经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太上灵宝玉匮明真大斋忏方仪

    太上灵宝玉匮明真大斋忏方仪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 豪赌血丝玉

    豪赌血丝玉

    宝蛋生于1900年,外号叫八国,那年八国联军打进中国,打得大清王朝割地求和,邱庄人恨极了洋人,也恨极了宝蛋一家,所以当宝蛋降生在邱万财家里时,邱庄人就说:又一个劣货出世了,长大后肯定比八国联军还劣,所以当宝蛋刚会走路时,村里人就悄悄地叫起了劣八国。当着邱家人的面不便叫,便直喊八国,搞得邱家人莫名其妙。邱万财是个挂千顷牌的财主,家里有一眼望不到边的地,百囤踅不完的粮,还有一片二百亩地的楸树园。骡马成群,佃户连村,方圆数县提起邱家,没有不知道其家业的。邱家虽阔,但小气得出名。
  • 大明王朝的复兴:弘治中兴十八年

    大明王朝的复兴:弘治中兴十八年

    本文讲述了明孝宗朱祐樘的生平以及他开创的弘治盛世。明孝宗朱祐樘,年号弘治,明朝第九位皇帝,虽然他只有三十六年的短暂生命,却造就了一个繁华灿烂的十八年盛世。这段历史夹在大明成化朝黑暗岁月与正德朝荒唐年代之间,却带给了中国人一段足够幸福与怀念的生活。明孝宗朱祐樘被称为“中兴令主”,他在位期间励精图治,任用王恕、刘大夏等一批为人正直的大臣,开创了一个盛世,史称“弘治中兴”。本书追根溯源,全景式呈现明孝宗朱祐樘传奇式人生,同时讲述了如刘大夏、王恕、马文升等名臣的沉浮人生。
  • 一个神秘事件调查员的秘密笔记1:邪神的贡品

    一个神秘事件调查员的秘密笔记1:邪神的贡品

    我因为科研过程中无意遇到的神秘事件,被一秘密科研部门收罗门下,开始了惊险、绝地逢生的人生旅程。在这过程当中我不但见到了地球上从未记载的巨型生物,也见到了具有某种神秘隐形力量的非人类;不但看到了为了贪欲而扭曲变异的人性,也遇到了甘为人类,奉献出自己生命的地外生命体……
  • 西游女儿国国王重生记

    西游女儿国国王重生记

    那时你为僧,你说“来世若有缘分”。何解?其实那时你是动心过的,只是奈于身份罢了?今时你为民,不再是僧侣,不再用西天取经,是时候兑现你说过的话了。西梁女王二度穿越,历经二百年孤寂重逢爱人——御弟哥哥(唐僧)。一穿现代,被现代电视剧《西游记》所深深感触,对《女儿情》情有独钟,熟唱于心。二穿古代,因爱独自一人唱着情歌(女儿情)而被人视为脑子不好使,早早被父母出嫁。心里对唐僧却是念念不忘,为此逃婚,却意外发现唐僧转世,从此展开“女追男隔层纱”。
  • 愿你在平淡的日子里,不忘美好

    愿你在平淡的日子里,不忘美好

    就这样,倾我所有过一生从来没想过有一天会和咖啡馆有怎样的联系,没想过自己会开家咖啡小店,没想过因为工作又接触到这么多全国各地的咖啡店主,没想过自己做起了咖啡馆文艺分享联盟、在各地咖啡馆里办艺术展、排演原创近景话剧,更没想过会写本关于“咖啡馆”的书。
  • 岭南风物记

    岭南风物记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 道德真经藏室纂微篇开题科文疏

    道德真经藏室纂微篇开题科文疏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 抗日之陆战狂花

    抗日之陆战狂花

    战争是一面镜子,能够让人更好认识和平的珍贵。昔日侦察兵穿越成羸弱小少爷,为了生存,更为了彻底粉碎日本军国主义殖民奴役中国的图谋,洗刷近代以来中国抗击外来侵略屡战屡败的民族耻辱,带领小伙伴儿踏上铁血抗战之旅,与亿万中华儿女一同开辟中华民族伟大复兴的光明前景,开启古老中国凤凰涅槃、浴火重生的新征程。
  • 盛世宠婚:亿万首席的萌妻

    盛世宠婚:亿万首席的萌妻

    “毕竟我是收过三百封情书的女人,至于你恐怕一辈子都没见过这么多情书吧?”沈暗暗得意炫耀。君大少不以为意:“情书没什么用处,又不能满足你。”沈暗暗:“……谁跟你说满足我了?我说的是情书!”“情书不能陪你睡,我可以睡。”“……”
  • 岁墓

    岁墓

    那是个无法用言语来诉尽的故事,我们都在成长中记住了过去的影子而忘记了现在的模样,原来才会明白少年的情长是我们微笑的梦影里的一个深情回眸!而还年少的我们已经在不知不觉中等待青春的散场!