Part 81 (1/2)

The Queen stopped full in her walk.

”That is very pleasantly put,” she said; ”I told Minnie you were a courtier.”

Again the two walked on.

”Then she used her tongue on me?”

”Your Grace, I have never met one on whom she did not: but her heart was true.”

”I know that, I know that, Mr. Norris. Tell me something she said.”

Anthony racked his brains for something not too severe.

”Mistress Corbet once said that the Queen's most disobedient subject was herself.”

”Eh?” said Elizabeth, stopping in her walk.

”'Because,' said Mistress Corbet, 'she can never command herself,'”

finished Anthony.

The Queen looked at Anthony, puzzled a moment; and then chuckled loudly in her throat.

”The impertinent minx!” she said, ”that was when I had clouted her, no doubt.”

Again they walked up and down in silence a little while. Anthony began to wonder whether this was all for which the Queen had sent for him. He was astonished at his own self-possession; all the trembling awe with which he had faced the Queen at Greenwich was gone; he had forgotten for the moment even his own peril; and he felt instead even something of pity for this pa.s.sionate old woman, who had aged so quickly, whose favourites one by one were dropping off, or at the best giving her only an exaggerated and ridiculous devotion, at the absurdity of which all the world laughed.

Here was this old creature at his side, surrounded by flatterers and adventurers, advancing through the world in splendid and jewelled raiment, with trumpets blowing before her, and poets singing her praises, and crowds applauding in the streets, and sneering in their own houses at the withered old virgin-Queen who still thought herself a Diana--and all the while this triumphal progress was at the expense of G.o.d's Church, her car rolled over the bodies of His servants, and her shrunken, gemmed fingers were red in their blood;--so she advanced, thought Anthony, day by day towards the black truth and the eternal loneliness of the darkness that lies outside the realm where Christ only is King.

Elizabeth broke in suddenly on his thoughts.

”Now,” she said, ”and what of you, Mr. Norris?”

”I am your Grace's servant,” he said.

”I am not so sure of that,” said Elizabeth. ”If you are my servant, why are you a priest, contrary to my laws?”

”Because I am Christ's servant too, your Grace.”

”But Christ's apostle said, 'Obey them that have the rule over you.'”

”In indifferent matters, madam.”

The Queen frowned and made a little angry sound.

”I cannot understand you Papists,” said the Queen. ”What a-G.o.d's name do you want? You have liberty of thought and faith; I desire to inquire into no man's private opinions. You may wors.h.i.+p Ashtaroth if it please you, in your own hearts; and G.o.d looks to the heart, and not to the outer man.

There is a Church with bishops like your own, and ministers; there are the old churches to wors.h.i.+p in--nay, you may find the old ornaments still in use. We have sacraments as you have; you may seek shrift if you will; nay, in some manner we have the ma.s.s--though we do not call it so--but we follow Christ's ordinance in the matter, and you can do no more. We have the Word of G.o.d as you have, and we use the same creeds. What more can the rankest Papist ask? Tell me that, Mr. Norris; for I am a-weary of your folk.”

The Queen turned and faced him again a moment, and her eyes were peevish and resentful.

Presently she went on again.