"Well," said he, stepping toward her with his soft, lurking smile,
"has he consented?"
"No," said she, gnashing her teeth. "He swore he would never enter
into an alliance with the Seymours."
"I well knew that," muttered the earl. "And what do you decide upon
now, my lady?"
"I will have revenge! He wants to hinder me from being happy; I will
for that make him unhappy!"
"You will do well in that, my lady; for he is an apostate and
perjurer; an unfaithful son of the Church. He inclines to the
heretical sect, and has forgotten the faith of his fathers."
"I know it!" said she, breathlessly.
Earl Douglas looked at her in astonishment, and continued: "But he
is not merely an atheist, he is a traitor also; and more than once
he has reviled his king, to whom he, in his pride of heart, believes
himself far superior."
"I know it!" repeated she.
"So proud is he," continued the earl, "so full of blasphemous
haughtiness, that he might lay his hands upon the crown of England."
"I know it!" said the duchess again. But as she saw the earl's
astonished and doubting looks, she added, with an inhuman smile: "I
know everything that you want that I should know! Only impute crimes
to him; only accuse him; I will substantiate everything, testify to
everything that will bring him to ruin. My mother is our ally; she
hates the father as hotly as I the son. Bring your accusation, then,
Earl Douglas; we are your witnesses!"
"Nay, indeed, my lady," said he, with a gentle, insinuating smile.
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