Behind her stood her women in respectful silence, waiting for a sign
from their mistress. But the queen no longer thought at all of them;
she imagined herself alone; she saw nobody but that handsome, manly
face for which she had reserved a place in her heart.
Now the door opened, and Lady Jane Douglas entered. She, too, was
magnificently dressed, and sparkling with diamonds; she, too, was
beautiful, but it was the pallid, dreadful beauty of a demon; and he
who looked upon her just then, as she entered the room, would have
trembled, and his heart would have been seized with an undefined
fear.
She threw a quick glance on her mistress lost in revery; and as she
saw that her toilet was finished, she made a sign to the women, who
silently obeyed and left the room.
Still Catharine noticed nothing. Lady Jane stood behind her and
observed her in the mirror. As she saw the queen smile, her brow
darkened and fierce fire flashed in her eyes.
"She shall smile no more," said she to herself. "I suffer thus
terribly by her; well, now, she shall suffer too."
Softly and noiselessly she slipped into the next room, the door of
which stood ajar, and opened with hurried hand a carton filled with
ribbons and bows. Then she drew from the velvet pocket, wrought with
pearls, which hung at her side, suspended by a gold chain, a dark-
red rosette, and threw it into the box. That was all.
Lady Jane now returned to the adjoining room; and her countenance,
which had been previously gloomy and threatening, was now proud and
joyful.
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