Part 12 (2/2)

Somerset saw at once that the case was hopeless, and he withdrew.

[Sidenote: The scheme fails.]

Thus the attempt to draw Salisbury into the conspiracy against the duke seemed for the time to fail. But Margaret was not at all discouraged. She pushed her manoeuvres and intrigues in other quarters with so much diligence and success that, in about two years after her arrival in England, she found her party large enough and strong enough for action.

CHAPTER X.

THE FALL OF GLOUCESTER.

At length the time arrived when Margaret considered her schemes ripe for execution.

[Sidenote: The king's cabinet.]

[Sidenote: Gloucester sent for.]

Accordingly, one day, while Henry and herself were together in the king's cabinet engaged in transacting some public affairs, Margaret made some excuse for sending for Gloucester, and while Gloucester was in the cabinet, Somerset, according to a preconcerted arrangement, presented himself at the door with an air of excitement and alarm, and asked to be admitted. He wished to see the king on business of the utmost urgency. He was allowed to come in. He had a paper in his hand, and his countenance, as well as his air and manner, denoted great apprehension and anxiety. As soon, however, as he saw the Duke of Gloucester, he seemed surprised and embarra.s.sed, and was about to retire, saying he had supposed that the king and queen were alone.

[Sidenote: Entrance of Somerset.]

But Margaret would not allow him to withdraw.

”Stay,” said she, ”and let us know what the business is that seems so urgent. You can speak freely. There is no one here beside ourselves except the minister of the king, and there is nothing to be concealed from him.”

[Sidenote: Somerset's charges.]

Somerset, on hearing these words, paused for a moment, looked at Gloucester, seemed irresolute, and then, as if nerving himself to a great effort, he advanced resolutely and presented the paper which he had in his hands to the king, saying, at the same time, in a very solemn manner, that it contained charges of the gravest character against Gloucester; and he added that, on the whole, he was not sorry that the accused person was present to know what was laid to his charge, and to reply if he had any proper justification to offer.

[Sidenote: Margaret interposes.]

The duke seemed thunderstruck. The king, too, was extremely surprised, and began to look greatly embarra.s.sed. Margaret put an end to the awkward suspense by taking the paper from the king's hand, and opening it in order to read it.

”Let us see,” said she, ”what these charges are.”

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Charges against Gloucester.]

[Sidenote: The charges read.]

So she opened the paper and began to read it. The charges were numerous. The princ.i.p.al one related to some transactions in respect to the English dominions on the Continent, in which Gloucester was accused of having sacrificed the rights and interests of the crown in order to promote certain private ends of his own. There were a great many other accusations, relating to alleged usurpations of the prerogative of the king and high-handed violations of the laws of the land. Among these last the murder of Lady Neville was specified, and the deed was characterized in the severest terms as a crime of the deepest dye, and one committed under circ.u.mstances of great atrocity, although the author of the charges admitted that the details of the affair were not fully known.

[Sidenote: The duke declares his innocence.]

As Margaret read these accusations one after another, the duke affirmed positively of each one that it was wholly unjust. He seemed for a moment surprised and confused when the murder of Lady Neville was laid to his charge, but he soon recovered himself, and declared that he was innocent of this crime as well as of all the others. The whole series of accusations was a tissue of base calumnies, he said, from beginning to end.

[Sidenote: Margaret's artful demeanor.]

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