Also, he of late broke out into bitter curses
against you, because you had robbed him of his field-marshal's
staff, and given it to Earl Hertford, that noble Seymour. Also, he
meant to see whether the throne of England were so firm and steady
that it had no need of his hand and his arm to prop it. All that I
have of course heard from him; but you are right, sire, it is
unimportant--it is not worth mentioning, and therefore I do not even
make it as an accusation against him."
"Ah, you are always a mad little witch, Rosabella!" cried the king,
who had regained his cheerfulness. "You say you will not accuse him,
and yet you make his head a plaything that you poise upon your
crimson lips. But take care, my little duchess--take care, that this
head does not fall from your lips with your laughing, and roll down
to the ground; for I will not stop it--this head of the Earl of
Surrey, of whom you say that he is no traitor."
"But is it not monotonous and tiresome, if we accuse the father and
son of the same crime?" asked the duchess, laughing. "Let us have a
little variation. Let the duke be a traitor; the son, my king, is by
far a worse criminal!"
"Is there, then, a still worse and more execrable crime than to be a
traitor to his king and master, and to speak of the anointed of the
Lord without reverence and love?"
"Yes, your majesty, there is a still worse crime; and of that I
accuse the Earl of Surrey. He is an adulterer!"
"An adulterer!" repeated the king, with an expression of abhorrence.
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