At length this festivity was also over with, and Catharine was now
permitted to retire with her attendants to her private apartments.
With a pleasant smile, she dismissed her cavaliers, and bade her
women and her second maid of honor, Anna Askew, go into her boudoir
and await her call. Then she gave her arm to her friend Lady Jane
Douglas, and with her entered her cabinet.
At last she was alone, at last unwatched. The smile disappeared from
her face, and an expression of deep sadness was stamped upon her
features.
"Jane," said she, "pray thee shut the doors and draw the window
curtains, so that nobody can see me, nobody hear me, no one except
yourself, my friend, the companion of my happy childhood. Oh, my
God, my God, why was I so foolish as to leave my father's quiet,
lonely castle and go out into the world, which is so full of terror
and horror?"
She sighed and groaned deeply; and burying her face in her hands,
she sank upon the ottoman, weeping and trembling.
Lady Jane observed her with a peculiar smile of malicious
satisfaction.
"She is queen and she weeps," said she to herself. "My God, how can
a woman possibly feel unhappy, and she a queen?"
She approached Catharine, and, seating herself on the tabouret at
her feet, she impressed a fervent kiss on the queen's drooping hand.
"Your majesty weeping!" said she, in her most insinuating tone. "My
God, you are then unhappy; and I received with a loud cry of joy the
news of my friend's unexpected good fortune.
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