“No, on my soul,” replied Mary. “But I know the girl loves him tenderly, and, had she recanted, it was my design to reward her with the husband of her choice.”
“But she does not recant, I tell you, Madam,” cried Philip, “so it is idle to speculate on what might have been. It is my will that she be delivered up to Bonner. But the order must proceed from yourself, not from me. Thus, when the Cardinal comes, you will be prepared with an answer to him.”
“But let me first hear what he has to urge,” objected the Queen.
“No matter what he urges,” rejoined Philip. “Lay your commands upon him, as I have intimated. Nay, I will be obeyed,” he added, authoritatively.
Mary sighed, but made no further remonstrance.
“The Cardinal must be at hand,” continued Philip. “By your leave, I will be an unseen witness of the interview.”
And he stepped behind the arras, near which the Queen was seated.
“He distrusts me,” murmured Mary; “and, in sooth, he has imposed a most painful task upon me.”
Shortly afterwards, the Cardinal was announced, and, greeting him kindly, the Queen begged him to take a seat by her side.
“If your Majesty has heard what occurred yesterday in Saint Bartholomew’s Church at Smithfield,” premised Pole, “you will guess the object of my visit. Constance Tyrrell, whom you confided to my charge, and whom I yet hope to reclaim, is to be wrested from me. But I shall refuse to deliver her up.”
“Your Eminence must needs comply with my order,” said Mary.
“True, Madam,” replied the Cardinal. “But I do not believe you will give any such order, when I say that in surrendering her I shall only be consigning her to infamy and dishonour.”
“I pray your Eminence to explain yourself,” said Mary.
“It is painful to me to speak out,” replied Pole, “but I cannot allow this unhappy maiden to be sacrificed. She has opened her heart to me, and has confessed all. Blinded by an insane and wicked passion for her, the King, since his first accidental meeting with her at Southampton, has never ceased to persecute her with his dishonourable solicitations. Yesterday, during that dread ceremonial, when, terrified and fainting, she was borne into the sacristy of Saint Bartholomew’s Church, he renewed his unholy suit, and bade her choose between his love and deliverance up to Bishop Bonner. I doubt not that she would sustain this trial, as she has sustained others. I do not think that imprisonment or torture would shake her. But why should she be exposed to such treatment? Madam, this is not the case of an heretical offender. Constance Tyrrell is to be imprisoned, is to be tortured, is perhaps to suffer a fiery death, not on account of her religious opinions, but because she has virtue enough to resist the King. Madam, such wrong shall not be, while I can raise my voice against it.”