"
Earl Douglas cast a dark, spiteful look at John Heywood, who
answered it with one equally piercing and furious.
Their eyes were firmly fixed on each other's, and in those eyes they
both read all the hatred and all the bitterness which were working
in the depths of their souls. Both knew that they had from that hour
sworn to each other an enmity burning and full of danger.
The king had noticed nothing of this dumb but significant scene. He
was looking down, brooding over his gloomy thoughts, and the storm-
clouds rolling around his brow gathered darker and darker.
With an impetuous movement he arose from his seat, and this time he
needed no helping hand to stand up. Wrath was the mighty lever that
threw him up.
The courtiers arose from their seats in silence, and nobody besides
John Heywood observed the look of understanding which Earl Douglas
exchanged with Gardiner, bishop of Winchester, and Wriothesley, the
lord chancellor.
"Ah, why is not Cranmer here?" said John Heywood to himself. "I see
the three tiger-cats prowling, so there must be prey to devour
somewhere. Well, I will at any rate keep my ears open wide enough to
hear their roaring."
"The dinner is over, gentlemen!" said the king hastily; and the
courtiers and gentlemen in waiting silently withdrew to the
anteroom.
Only Earl Douglas, Gardiner, and Wriothesley, remained in the hall,
while John Heywood crept softly into the king's cabinet and
concealed himself behind the hanging of gold brocade which covered
the door leading from the king's study to the outer anteroom.
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