The Tower of London 60

The Tower of London 60

"Nor do I advocate it now, madam," returned Gardiner. "All I counsel is prudence. You are not yet strong enough to throw off the mask of toleration which you have hitherto worn. Your first parliament has not yet met. The statutes establishing the Reformed religion are yet unrepealed,--nay, though I shame to speak it, the marriage of your illustrious parents has not yet been confirmed."

 

"You _should_ shame to speak it, my lord," rejoined Mary, fiercely ; "for it is mainly by your machinations that the divorce was obtained."

 

"I own it to my sorrow," replied Gardiner, "but I then owed the same obedience to your illustrious sire that I now owe to your highness. I did your injured mother great wrong, but if I live I will repair it. This, however, is foreign to the subject. Your majesty may believe me when I tell you, your worst enemies could not desire you to take a more injudicious step, or one more fraught with danger to yourself, than to strain your prerogative against Courtenay and Elizabeth."

 

"Were I to assent to your request and set them free," replied

 

Mary, after a moment's reflection, "the first act of the princess would be to unite herself to this perfidious villain."

 

"I do not think it," replied Gardiner. "But what if she were to do so ? "

 

"_What!_" exclaimed Mary, furiously. "The thought revives all my indignation. Am I so tame of spirit that I can bear to see him whom I have loved united to a rival I hate ? No, my lord, I am not. This is no doubtful case. I have heard his treachery with my own ears--seen it with my own eyes--and I will terribly avenge myself. Courtenay never again shall behold Elizabeth. He has breathed his last false sigh--uttered his last perjured profession of love--exchanged his last look, unless they meet upon the scaffold. You know not what an injured woman feels. I _have_ the power of avenging myself, and, by my father's head, I will use it !"

 

"And when you have gratified this fell passion, madam," returned Gardiner, "remorse will succeed, and you will bitterly regret what you have done. Since nothing better may be,--and if you will not nobly, and like yourself, pardon the offenders,--at least reflect before you act. If you persist in your present intention, it will be the duty of all your faithful subjects to prepare for a rebellion, for such will certainly ensue."

 

"Make what preparations you deem fitting, my lord," replied Mary. "In my father's time the people did not dare to resist his decrees, however arbitrary."

 

"The people are no longer what they were, madam, nor are you--for I must make bold to say so--in the position, or backed by the power of your dread father. What he did is no rule for you. I am no advocate for Courtenay--nor for the princess Elizabeth. Could you avenge yourself upon them with safety, though I should lament it, I would not oppose you. But you cannot do so. Others must bleed at the same time. Remember the Lady Jane Gray and her husband yet live. You will revive their faction--and must of necessity doom them to death to prevent another rebellion. Once begun, there will be no end to bloodshed."

 

"These are cogent reasons, my lord," returned Mary, after a moment's reflection,--"supposing them well-founded."

 

"And trust me, they _are_ well-founded, gracious madam," replied the Bishop. "Do not sacrifice your kingdom--do not sacrifice the holy Catholic church which looks to you for support--to an insane thirst of vengeance."

 

"Gardiner," replied Mary, taking his hand and looking at him earnestly, "you know not how I have loved this man. Put yourself in my position. How would you act ?"

 

"As I am assured your highness would, if you were not under the dominion of passion," replied the bishop--"forgive him."

 

"I would do so," rejoined Mary, "but oh ! if he were to wed Elizabeth, I should die. I would rather yield them my

 

 

 

crown,--my life,--than consent to their espousals. But I will not think for myself. Arise, my lord. Give me your counsel, and what you recommend I will follow."

 

"Spoken like yourself, gracious madam," replied the bishop.

 

"I was sure your noble nature could soon triumph over unworthy thoughts. Since your highness thinks it possible Courtenay may wed Elizabeth, I would advise you to detain him for the present a captive in the Tower. But instantly liberate the princess--dismiss her from your court--and let her retire to Ashbridge."

 

"I like your advice well, my lord," replied the Queen, "and will act upon it. The princess shall set out to-day."

 

"I cannot too highly applaud your highness's determination," replied Gardiner ; "but as you have spoken thus frankly, may I venture to ask whether the earl's case is utterly hopeless ?--whether, after he has sufficiently felt the weight of your displeasure you will not restore him to your favour--to your affections ?"

 

"Never," replied Mary, firmly, "never. And could you counsel it ?"

 

"He is inexperienced, madam," urged the bishop ; "and after this salutary lesson----"

 

"No more, my lord," interrupted the Queen, a shade passing over her features, "it is too late."

 

"Too late !" echoed Gardiner. "Am I to understand your highness has made another engagement ?"

 

"You are to understand nothing more than you are told, my lord," replied Mary, angrily. "In due season you shall know aill."

 

As Gardiner bowed in acquiescence, he perceived the miniature of Philip of Spain lying on the table, and a sudden apprehension of the truth crossed him.

 

"There is one person upon whom I should chiefly desire your highness's choice _not_ to fall,1' he said.

 

"And that is--?" interrupted Mary.

 

"Philip of Spain," answered Gardiner.

 

"What objections have you to him, my lord?" demanded the queen, uneasily.

 

"My objections are threefold," rejoined Gardiner. "First, I dislike the tyrannical character of the prince, which would be ill-suited to render your highness's union a happy one. Secondly, I am assured that the match would be disagreeable to your subjects--the English nation not being able to brook a foreign yoke ; and of all dominations none being so intolerable as that of Spain. Thirdly, the alliance would plunge us in endless wars with France,

 

--a country that would never tamely submit to such a formidable

 

extension of power, as this would prove, on the part of its old enemy, Charles the Fifth."

 

"If not Philip of Spain, whom would you recommend me ?" asked Mary, who was anxious to mislead him.

 

"One of your own nobles," replied Gardiner ; "by which

 

means your authority would be unabridged. Whereas, if you wed

 

a prince, odious for his tyranny in the eyes of all Europe"------

 

"No more of this, my lord," interrupted Mary, hastily.

 

"Madam," said Gardiner, "however I may risk displeasing you,

 

I should be wanting in duty, in loyalty, and in sincerity, were I not strongly to warn you against a match with Philip of Spain. It will be fatal to your own happiness--fatal to the welfare of your people."

 

"I have already said it is too late," sighed Mary.

 

"Your Majesty has not affianced yourself to him," cried Gardiner, anxiously. .

 

"Question me no further," rejoined Mary. "What is done is done."

 

"Alas! madam," cried Gardiner, "I understand your words too well. You have taken a perilous step, at the instigation of evil counsellors, and under the iniluence of evil passions. God grant good may come of it !"

 

"These are mere surmises on your part, my lord," returned Mary. "I have not told you I have taken any step."

 

"But your majesty leads me to infer it," answered the bishop. "For your own sake, and for the sake of your kingdom, I trust my fears are unfounded."

 

As he spoke, an usher approached, and informed the queen that the imperial ambassador, Simon Renard, desired an audience.

 

"Admit him," said Mary. "Farewell, my lord," she added, turning to Gardiner ; "I will weigh what you have said."

 

"Act upon it, gracious madam, if you _can_," rejoined the bishop. "But if you are so far committed as to be unable to retreat, count upon my best services to aid you in the difficulty." At this moment, Simon Renard entered the audience-chamber, and the __EXPRESSION__ of his countenance was so exulting, that Gardiner was convinced his conjectures were not far wide of the truth. His first object, on quitting the royal presence, was to seek out Feckenham, from whom he succeeded in eliciting the fact of the betrothment in Saint John's chapel ; and with a breast full of trouble he returned to his own apartments. On the way thither, he encountered De Noailles.

 

"Well met, my lord," cried the ambassador. "I was about to seek you. So, it seems all our projects are ruined. Courtenay is disgraced and imprisoned."

 

"His folly has destroyed the fairest chance that ever man possessed," observed the bishop. "He is now irretrievably lost."

 

"Not irretrievably, I trust, my good lord," replied Do Noailles. "A woman's mind is proverbially changeful. And when this jealous storm is blown over, I doubt not he will, again bask in the full sunshine of royal favour."

 

"Your excellency is in the wrong," rejoined Gardiner. "The queen will never forgive him, or, what is equally to be lamented, will never unite herself to him."

 

"You speak confidently, my lord," returned Do Noailles gravely. "I trust nothing has occurred to warrant what you say."

 

"M. De Noailles," said the bishop significantly, "look to yourself. The party of France is on the decline. That of Spain is on the ascendant."

 

"What mean you, my lord ?" cried the ambassador, eagerly. "Renard has not succeeded in his aim ? Mary has not affianced herself to the Prince of Spain ?"

 

"I know nothing positively," replied Gardiner evasively. "I merely throw out the hint. It is for you to follow it up."

 

"This were a blow, indeed !" cried De Noailles. "But subtle as Renard is, and with all the advantage he has gained, I will yet countermine him."

 

"You shall not want my aid," returned Gardiner, "provided you hatch no treason against the queen. And that you may the better know how to act, learn that her majesty _is_ affianced to Philip of Spain."

 

"Curses on the crafty Spaniard !" exclaimed De Noailles, furiously. "But I will yet defeat him."

 

"The princess Elizabeth will be liberated to-day, and sent with a strong guard to Ashbridge," remarked Gardiner. "Courtenay will be kept a prisoner in the Tower."

 

"We must find means to liberate him," rejoined the ambassador.

 

"In this you must proceed without my aid," said the bishop. "If it be possible to reinstate the earl in Mary's favour, it shall be done. But I can take no part in aiding his flight."

 

"Leave it to me, my lord," rejoined De Noailles. "All I require is your voice with the queen."

 

"That you may rely on," answered the bishop.