"
"I will do so," cried Miss Holland, with a bewitching smile; "for he
is no longer my lover, but only a traitor, an atheist, who is
audacious enough to recognize as the holy head of Christendom that
man at Rome who has dared to hurl his curse against the sublime head
of our king. It is this, indeed, that has torn my heart from the
duke, and that has made me now hate him as ardently as I once loved
him."
With a gracious smile, the king presented both his hands to the two
women. "You have done me a great service to-day, my ladies," said
he, "and I will find a way to reward you for it. I will give you,
duchess, the half of his estate, as though you were his rightful
heir and lawful widow. And you, Miss Holland, I will leave in
undisputed possession of all the goods and treasures that the
enamored duke has given you."
The two ladies broke out into loud expressions of thanks and into
enthusiastic rapture over the liberal and generous king, who was so
gracious as to give them what they already had, and to bestow on
them what was already their own property.
"Well, and are you wholly mute, my little duchess," asked the king
after a pause, turning to the Duchess of Richmond, who had withdrawn
to the embrasure of a window.
"Sire," said the duchess, smiling, "I was only waiting for my cue."
"And this cue is--"
"Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey! As your majesty knows, I am a merry
and harmless woman; and I understand better how to laugh and joke
than to talk much seriously.
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