The King's Achievement

re's house remained with him. He had reported the result of his interview with More himse

orridon. I fear that you have frigh

stood

m for you. I daresay he was frightened already; and knew all about wha

s heart stir

od fortune in the matter of a quotation, and he received me kindly. I

l looke

can go if you will; and you may perhaps pick up somethin

's business, and he seemed to have set on foot a business of his own;

*

ubjects, or instructing them in theology, for which indeed he was very competent; and several times in processions, riding among his gentlemen on his great horse, splendid in velvet and gems; and he had always wondered what it was that gave h

r and the King were walking together. They were at the further end from that at which he entered, and he stood, a little nervous at

ed, and Ralph was aware of, rather than saw, that wide, coarse, strong face, and the long narrow eyes, with the feather

rom Ralph, who stepped ba

e," said the minister

ee that it i

ce that he had never noticed before, except once when Cromw

and glanced over it, standing a litt

understand-" bega

Let the fellow take it back," and he thrust the pape

King. "I have seen h

" said Cromwell; "a very use

questioned Henry once more, wh

Grace," sai

King, running his narrow eyes up and

your Grace,"

. Then Henry abruptly thrust out his hand to be kissed, and as Ralph bent over it he was aware o

*

aster. As he went home through the street or two that separated the Palace gate from his own house, he found himself analysing the effect of that presence, and, in spite of its repellence, its suggestion of coarseness, and its almost irritating imperiousness, he was conscious that there was a very strong element of attractiveness in it too. It seemed to him the kind of attractiveness that there is for a beaten dog in the chastising hand: the personality was so overwhelming that it compelled allegiance, and that no

*

t meeting; for he had availed himself to the full of Cromwell's encouragement to make himself at home at Chelsea; and he found that his interest in her deepened every time. With a touch of amusement he foun

oo by More's acc

a scholar as my dear Me

, Mr. To

it off presently, not at Beatrice, but, as it were, across her;

moment; and then S

mure, my child; we all k

im a look of tranqui

e made a show

er. He began to ask himself where his interest

ed to occupy the place of a similar divinity with regard to this girl. Obviously she admired and loved Sir Thomas More-Ralph soon found out how deeply in the course of his visits-but she was not in the least afraid of her friend. She serenely contradicted him when she disagreed with what he said, would fail to keep her appointments at his house with the same equanimity, and in spite of Sir Thomas's personality never appeared to give him more than a friendly and affectionate homage. With regard t

*

mistake in his estimate of her, came from Margaret Roper

r hand, and a Terence propped open on the sill to catch the last gleams of light from the darkening afternoon. She greeted Ralph warmly, for he was a very familiar figure to them all by now, and soon beg

tly, "upstairs with father. I think

deal with him,

he, or has such a quick brain. And then she does not talk, he says, nor ask fooli

id Ralph, a little peevishly; fo

" said Margaret, "but s

rid

moment or two; and the

ing?" Ralph made a little sound of assent.

t Beatrice does not like you. That is not true. She is very fond o

; his drowsi

ed perfectly natural, and Margaret was reassured at the tone

id. "Of course we talk o

s. Beatrice

irl's heart was beating with excitement as she spoke; but she had made up her mind to seek this oppo

f questions?" as

bending down over her embroidery, and punctuating her words wi

Ralph in th

e as you seemed," ended Margaret, her v

ng flames that rose from the burning logs. He knew very well why Margaret had spoken, and that she would not speak without reason; but the fact r

she said, "I mus

of images and schemes with which his brain had been seething as he walked up the river-bank half-an-hour before, had receded into obscu

a tall slender figure stood there, now in lig

said

still a mo

trice again, "h

stoo

ne," he said, "you mus

tri

the girl advanci

cross the floor, and Ralph drew out a cha

r has gone for lights. She

ce sat

ad it himself, and has sent me to ask Meg. He says that ever

used smile in her black eyes,

an escape ready," he s

denly dropped on to her knee, and the

d interrogati

at me like that

. Do you really thin

ewildered f

understand

always has an escape re

lph und

course he is. There is no great man that is not. But I d

that, Mr.

"You remember the matter of the bribe. See ho

rl. "I know that you know what we do n

y tell you that in this matter I know nothing th

ew a breath

"It has been on my mind. And something th

say?" asked R

come next; that matters were very strange and dismaying-a

opped again

ph gently. "I know how you love Master More, an

Mr. Torridon," she said sudde

a moment, and half wished th

wide questi

her chair now, drawing the paper serenely to and fro between her fingers; and he could see the fi

re coming," he said.

ou app

ff-hand?-But I think

he fire again now, and di

ere of the new school,"

tation. Margaret was right then; th

ring," he said; and his vo

aid the girl. "Of course, there

came in with

set light to a fire ready laid, and he could perceive the warmth beginning to move about his heart

*

few weeks later, and it threw him into a st

companions might have an opportunity of defending themselves before the Act of Attainder ordered by the King was passed against them; but he found tim

's affair; but we shall catch him presently over the Act; and Mr. More is clear of it. But we shall ha

osed to tell the scrupulous peers that the King was not accustomed to command twice, and that to suspect his Grace of

the letter from Beatrice was brought up to him. He read it through twice in silence; and then orde

ong; but it

told me it was not so; I pray God that may be true still. I know that you would not lift a finger against him yourself-" (Ralph glanced at h

nd read clearly the words, "If my" under the scratching lines, and smil

letter

ape; and will do nothing on such hearsay, but only tells us to trust God, and

ng Mr. More's private conversation; his whole training was directed against such foolishness, and he had learnt at last from Cromwell's incessant precept and example that th

t stir; but still sat on, pressing his eyeballs till they ached and fiery rings twisted before him in the darkness. Then he abruptly sat

let drop. He had called Queen Katharine "poor woman" three or four times; had expressed a reverence for the Pope of Rome half a dozen times, and had once called him t

y; they were not inconsistent with treason; in fact they were exactly the kind of material out of which

mly to lie whole-heartedly to him; and on the other hand he felt now simply unable

a slightly dramatic gesture tore it across and across, and thre

e destroyed, though I do not know what Master Cromwell will say. B

is not in these days? But I swear to yo

rayed that "God might have her in His keeping," and

ox, sealed the letter with great care,

*

tness; swore positively that More had said nothing actually treasonable, and had

they be not so," stormed his master

a sow's ear, sir. I must hav

that he did not suppose that his evidence was going to form the main ground of the attack o

hat they were our principal grounds-he is a skilled lawyer. If I may dare to

eers had proved tractable and had agreed to pass the attainder against Elizabeth Barton without any mo

ght, Mr. Torridon. I

ter the b

*

ng as he came into the room, with his pape

aster More is to be there to have the Oath of Succession tendered to him wi

e in his eyes as he spoke. R

do your best. I wish him

*

with More; and this now, of course, was only possible through Ralph, and would have been impossible if the latter's evidence had been used, or were going to be

eyes over it. It was a line of passionate thanks and blessing. Surely he had reached her hidden heart at last. He put the letter back in

Several carriages were drawn up near the house door, and among them Ralph recognised the liveries of his master and of Lord Chancellor Audley. A number of horses and mules too were tethered to

; but one of Cromwell's servants at the door told him that he was not to go in there, bu

he window and a table and chair set upon it. More turned round from the window-seat on which

le too? This is the detention-room w

to the window-seat, where he leaned

ro in the playground; and here sit I. I supp

ed out beside More, staring mechanically at the figures that passed up and down. He had

agreeably on

. He too is a naughty fellow like myself, and will not listen to reason. There

ited face; he was talking with a kind of reck

him on the head now and given him cake and wine. He was calling out for a drink just now (which he hath g

ung round a priest's neck; he too was talking volubly an

ubt that his conscience is as clear as his eyes. Come

eat with his back to the light

ave not been to the Commissi

said More,

ster More; I know a friend's face is a good counci

him softly

he said, "f

eared that he suspected him; so he mad

he said. "I was able to do her a little

letter and g

r," he said, "and wh

ked at hi

romwell's servant; and

laughter; and then took

or very deep," he said. "And

," said Ralph indignantly, withdrawing h

" corrected the other pl

gin, Mr.

gs if every man had to examine for himself the claims of his rulers; when vexed and elaborate questions arose-and this certainly was one such-was it not safer to follow the decrees of the King and Parliament, rather than to take up a position of private j

m," put in More, who

r?" went on Ralph who had thought ou

ass

is certain; therefore it should o

lower lip, and stared g

ow how to answer that at this moment; but I have

lling to consider the taking of the oath itself; it was the other clauses that touched his conscience more. He could swear to be loyal to Anne'

to the Commissioners, si

that I have told you

t he professed great confidence, and secretly congratulated himself with having made s

se. They are resolved to catch me. First there was the bribe; then the matter of the Maid; then this; and if I took a hundred oaths

a servant came in to beg Mr. More to come downst

see me sometimes, even if not at Chelsea. Wherev

f-an-hour later a message was sent out to him by Cromwell that he need wait no longer; Mr. Mo