Henry Howard smiled. "Well, now, I will tell you. I have, as it becomes me, my father's son, borne the arms of our house on my shield and over the entrance of my palace, and it has been discovered that the king bears the same arms that we do. That is my high treason! I have said that the king is deceived in many of his servants, and often promotes his favorites to high honors which they do not deserve. That is my offence against his majesty; and it is that for which I shall lay my head upon the block. [Footnote: These two insignificant accusations were the only points that could be made out against the Earl of Surrey. Upon these charges, brought by his mother and sister, he was executed.--Tytler, p. 492; Burnet, vol. I, p. 75; Leti, vol. I, p. 108.] But make yourself easy; Ishall myself add to my crimes one more, so that they may be grievous enough to make the conscience of the righteous and generous king quiet. I have given up my heart to a wretched and criminal love, and the Geraldine whom I have sung in many a poem, and have celebrated even before the king, was nothing but a miserable coquettish strumpet!"Jane Douglas gave a scream, and sank upon the ground as if struck by lightning.
"Do you repent of this sin, my son?" asked the priest. "Do you turn your heart away from this sinful love, in order to turn it to God?""I not only repent of this love, but I execrate it! and now, my father, let us go; for you see, indeed, my lord is becoming impatient. He bears in mind that the king will find no rest until the Howards also have gone to rest. Ah, King Henry! King Henry! Thou callest thyself the mighty king of the world, and yet thou tremblest before the arms of thy subject! My lord, if you go to the king to-day, give him Henry Howard's greeting; and tell him, I wish his bed may be as easy to him as the grave will be to me. Now, come, my lords! It is time."With head proudly erect and calm step, he turned to the door. But now Jane Douglas sprang from the ground; now she rushed to Henry Howard and clung to him with all the might of her passion and agony.
"I leave you not!" cried she, breathless and pale as death. "You dare not repulse me, for you have sworn that we shall live and die together."He hurled her from him in fierce wrath, and drew himself up before her, lofty and threatening.
"I forbid you to follow me!" cried he, in a tone of command. She reeled back against the wall and looked at him, trembling and breathless.
He was still lord over her soul; she was still subject to him in love and obedience. She could not therefore summon up courage to defy his command.
She beheld him as he left the room and passed down the corridor with his dreadful train; she heard their footsteps gradually die away;and then suddenly in the yard sounded the hollow roll of the drum.
Jane Douglas fell on her knees to pray, but her lips trembled so much that she could find no words for her prayer.
The roll of the drum ceased in the court below, and only the death-bell still continued to wail and wail. She heard a voice speaking loud and powerful words.
It was his voice; it was Henry Howard that was speaking. And now again the hollow roll of the drums drowned his voice.
"He dies! He dies, and I am not with him!" cried she, with a shriek;and she gathered herself up, and as if borne by a whirlwind she dashed out of the room, through the corridor, and down the stairs.
There she stood in the court. That dreadful black pile above there, in the midst of this square crowded with men--that was the scaffold.
Yonder she beheld him prostrate on his knees. She beheld the axe in the headsman's hand; she saw him raise it for the fatal stroke.
She was a woman no longer, but a lioness! Not a drop of blood was in her cheeks. Her nostrils were expanded and her eyes darted lightning.
She drew out a dagger that she had concealed in her bosom, and made a path through the amazed, frightened, yielding crowd.
With one spring she had rushed up the steps of the scaffold. She now stood by him on the top of it--close by that kneeling figure.
There was a flash through the air. She heard a peculiar whiz--then a hollow blow. A red vapor-like streak of blood spurted up, and covered Jane Douglas with its crimson flood.
"I come, Henry, I come!" cried she, with a wild shout. "I shall be with thee in death!" And again there was a flash through the air. It was the dagger that Jane Douglas plunged into her heart.
She had struck well. No sound--no groan burst from her lips. With a proud smile she sank by her lover's headless corpse, and with a last dying effort she said to the horrified headsman: "Let me share his grave! Henry Howard, in life and in death I am with thee!"
