Windsor Castle by William Harrison Ainsworth (read along books TXT) ๐
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- Author: William Harrison Ainsworth
Read book online ยซWindsor Castle by William Harrison Ainsworth (read along books TXT) ๐ยป. Author - William Harrison Ainsworth
โCatherine will be avenged by means of this woman,โ muttered Anne as she turned away. โI already feel some of the torments with which she threatened me. And she suspects Norris. I must impress more caution on him. Ah! when a man loves deeply, as he loves me, due restraint is seldom maintained.โ
But though alarmed, Anne was by no means aware of the critical position in which she stood. She could not persuade herself that she had entirely lost her influence with the king; and she thought that when his momentary passion had subsided, it would return to its old channels.
She was mistaken. Jane Seymour was absolute mistress of his heart; and Anne was now as great a bar to him as she had before been an attraction. Had her conduct been irreproachable, it might have been difficult to remove her; but, unfortunately, she had placed herself at his mercy, by yielding to the impulses of vanity, and secretly encouraging the passion of Sir Henry Norris, groom of the stole.
This favoured personage was somewhat above the middle Size, squarely and strongly built. His features were regularly and finely formed, and he had a ruddy complexion, brown curling hair, good teeth, and fine eyes of a clear blue. He possessed great personal strength, was expert in all manly exercises, and shone especially at the jousts and the manege. He was of an ardent temperament, and Anne Boleyn had inspired him with so desperate a passion that he set at nought the fearful risk he ran to obtain her favour.
In all this seemed traceable the hand of fateโin Henry's passion for Jane Seymour, and Anne's insane regard for Norrisโas if in this way, and by the same means in which she herself had been wronged, the injured Catherine of Arragon was to be avenged.
How far Henry's suspicions of his consort's regard for Norris had been roused did not at the time appear. Whatever he felt in secret, he took care that no outward manifestation should betray him. On the contrary he loaded Norris, who had always been a favourite with him, with new marks of regard, and encouraged rather than interdicted his approach to the queen.
Things were in this state when the court proceeded to Windsor, as before related, on Saint George's day.
II. How Anne Boleyn received Proof of Henry's Passion for Jane Seymour.
On the day after the solemnisation of the Grand Feast of the Order of the Garter, a masqued fete of great splendour and magnificence was held within the castle. The whole of the state apartments were thrown open to the distinguished guests, and universal gaiety prevailed. No restraint was offered to the festivity by the king, for though he was known to be present, he did not choose to declare himself.
The queen sat apart on a fauteuil in the deep embrasure of a window; and as various companies of fantastic characters advanced towards her, she more than once fancied she detected amongst them the king, but the voices convinced her of her mistake. As the evening was wearing, a mask in a blue domino drew near her, and whispered in a devoted and familiar tone, โMy queen!โ
โIs it you, Norris?โ demanded Anne, under her breath.
โIt is,โ he replied. โOh, madam! I have been gazing at you the whole evening, but have not dared to approach you till now.โ
โI am sorry you have addressed me at all, Norris,โ she rejoined. โYour regard for me has been noticed by others, and may reach the king's ears. You must promise never to address me in the language of passion again.โ
โIf I may not utter my love I shall go mad,โ replied Norris. โAfter raising me to the verge of Paradise, do not thrust me to the depths of Tartarus.โ
โI have neither raised you nor do I cast you down,โ rejoined Anne. โThat I am sensible of your devotion, and grateful for it, I admit, but nothing more. My love and allegiance are due to the king.โ
โTrue,โ replied Norris bitterly; โthey are so, but he is wholly insensible to your merits. At this very moment he is pouring his love-vows in the ear of Jane Seymour.โ
โAh! is he so?โ cried Anne. โLet me have proof of his perfidy, and I may incline a more favourable ear to you.โ
โI will instantly obtain you the proof, madam,โ replied Norris, bowing and departing.
Scarcely had he quitted the queen, and mixed with the throng of dancers, than he felt a pressure upon his arm, and turning at the touch, beheld a tall monk, the lower part of whose face was muffled up, leaving only a pair of fierce black eyes and a large aquiline nose visible.
โI know what you want, Sir Henry Norris,โ said the tall monk in a low deep voice; โyou wish to give the queen proof of her royal lord's inconstancy. It is easily done. Come with me.โ
โWho are you?โ demanded Norris doubtfully.
โWhat matters it who I am?โ rejoined the other; โI am one of the masquers, and chance to know what is passing around me. I do not inquire into your motives, and therefore you have no right to inquire into mine.โ
โIt is not for my own satisfaction that I desire this proof,โ said Norris, โbecause I would rather shield the king's indiscretions than betray them. But the queen has conceived suspicions which she is determined to verify.โ
โThink not to impose upon me,โ replied the monk with a sneer. โBring the queen this way, and she shall be fully satisfied.โ
โI can run no risk in trusting you,โ said Norris, โand therefore I accept your offer.โ
โSay no more,โ cried the monk disdainfully, โI will await you here.โ
And Norris returned to the queen.
โHave you discovered anything?โ she cried.
โCome with me, madam,โ said Norris, bowing and taking her hand.
Proceeding thus they glided through the throng of dancers, who respectfully cleared a passage for them as they walked along until they approached the spot where the tall monk was standing. As they drew near him he moved on, and Norris and the queen followed in silence. Passing from the great hall in which the crowd of dancers were assembled, they descended a short flight of steps, at the foot of which the monk paused, and pointed with his right hand to a chamber, partly screened by the folds of a curtain.
At this intimation the queen and her companion stepped quickly on, and as she advanced, Anne Boleyn perceived Jane Seymour and the king seated on a couch within the apartment. Henry was habited like a pilgrim, but he had thrown down his hat, ornamented with the scallop-shell, his vizard, and his staff, and had just forced his fair companion to unmask.
At the sight, Anne was transfixed with jealous rage,
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