Judge now, queen, whether that law there can make me happy. He
whom I love is no prince--no son of a king."
"Poor Elizabeth!" said Catharine, clasping the young girl fervently
in her arms.
"And why do you bewail my fate, when it is in your power to make me
happy?" asked Elizabeth, urgently.
"It was you who prevailed on the king to relieve me of the disgrace
that rested on me; you will also have power over him to set aside
this clause which contains my heart's sentence of condemnation."
Catharine shook her head with a sigh. "My power does not reach so
far," said she, sadly. "Ah, Elizabeth, why did you not put
confidence in me? Why did you not let me know sooner that your heart
cherished a love which is in opposition to this law? Why did you not
tell your friend your dangerous secret?"
"Just because it is dangerous I concealed it from you; and just on
that account I do not even now mention the name of the loved one.
Queen, you shall not through me become a guilty traitoress against
your husband; for you well know that he punishes every secret
concealed from him as an act of high treason. No, queen; if I am a
criminal, you shall not he my accomplice. Ah, it is always dangerous
to be the confidant of such a secret. You see that in John Heywood.
He alone was my confidant, and he betrayed me. I myself put the
weapons into his hands, and he turned them against me."
"No, no," said Catharine, thoughtfully; "John Heywood is true and
trusty, and incapable of treachery.
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