This
sight only redoubled his merriment, and made him again and again
roar out with laughter.
"And is that all your crime, Kate?" asked he, at length, drying his
eyes. "You have stolen a pawn from me--this is your first and only
deception?"
"Is it not indeed great enough, sire? Did I not purloin it because I
was so high-minded as to want to win a game of chess from you? Is
not the whole court even now acquainted with my splendid luck? And
does it not know that I have been the victor to-day, whilst yet I
was not entitled to be so--whilst I deceived you so shamefully?"
"Now, verily," said the king, solemnly, "happy are the men who are
not worse deceived by their wives than you have deceived me to-day;
and happy are the women whose confessions are so pure and innocent
as yours have been to-day! Do but lift up your eyes again, my Katie;
that sin is forgiven you; and by God and by your king it shall be
accounted to you as a virtue."
He laid his hand on her head, as if in blessing, and gazed at her
long and silently. Then, said he, laughingly:
"According to this, then, my Kate, I should have been the victor of
to-day, and not have lost that game of chess."
"No," said she, dolefully, "I must have lost it, if I had not stolen
the pawn."
Again the king laughed. Catharine said, earnestly:
"Do but believe me, my husband, Bishop Gardiner alone was the cause
of my fall. Because he was by, I did not want to lose. My pride
revolted to think that this haughty and arrogant priest was to be
witness of my defeat.
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