"Arrest him!" said Earl Douglas, lending words to the king's mute
sign. "In the king's name arrest him, and conduct him to the Tower!"
"Yes, arrest him!" said the king; and, as with youthful speed he
walked up to Henry Howard and put his hand heavily on his shoulder,
he with terrible calmness continued: "Henry Howard, your wish shall
be fulfilled; you shall mount the scaffold for which you have so
much longed!"
The earl's noble countenance remained calm and unmoved; his bright
beaming eye fearlessly encountered the eye of the king flashing with
wrath.
"Sire," said he, "my life is in your hand, and I very well know that
you will not spare it. I do not even ask you to do so. But spare
this noble and beautiful woman, whose only crime is that she has
followed the voice of her heart. Sire, I alone am the guilty one.
Punish me, then--torture me, if you like--but be merciful to her."
The king broke out into a loud laugh. "Ah, he begs for her!" said
he. "This little Earl Surrey presumes to think that his sentimental
love-plaint can exercise an influence on the heart of his judge! No,
no, Henry Howard; you know me better. You say, indeed, that I am a
cruel man, and that blood cleaves to my crown. Well, now, it is our
pleasure to set in our crown a new blood-red ruby; and if we want to
take it from Geraldine's heart's blood, your sonnets will not hinder
us from doing so, my good little earl. That is all the reply I have
to make to you; and I think it will be the last time that we shall
meet on earth!"
"There above we shall see each other again, King Henry of England!"
said Earl Surrey, solemnly.
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