She was altogether a charming and lovely apparition, full of
nobleness and grace, full of fire and energy; and yet, in spite of
her youthfulness, not wanting in a certain grandeur and dignity.
Elizabeth, though still almost a child, and frequently bowed and
humbled by misfortune, yet ever remained her father's own daughter.
And though Henry had declared her a bastard and excluded her from
the succession to the throne, yet she bore the stamp of her royal
blood in her high, haughty brow; in her keen, flashing eye.
As she now stood before John Heywood, she was not, however, the
haughty, imperious princess, but merely the shy, blushing maiden,
who feared to trust her first girlish secret to another's ear, and
ventured only with trembling hand to draw aside the veil which
concealed her heart.
"John Heywood," said she, "you have often told me that you loved me;
and I know that my poor unfortunate mother trusted you, and summoned
you as a witness of her innocence. You could not at that time save
the mother, but will you now serve Anne Boleyn's daughter, and be
her faithful friend?"
"I will," said Heywood, solemnly, "and as true as there is a God
above us, you shall never find me a traitor."
"I believe you, John; I know that I may trust you. Listen then, I
will now tell you my secret--a secret which no one but God knows,
and the betrayal of which might bring me to the scaffold. Will you
then swear to me, that you will never, under any pretext, and from
any motive whatsoever, betray to anybody, so much as a single word
of what I am now about to tell you? Will you swear to me, never to
intrust this secret to any one, even on your death-bed, and not to
betray it even in the confessional?"
"Now as regards that, princess," said John, with a laugh, "you are
perfectly safe.
Pages:
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203