Let us, therefore, occupy ourselves a little with the destiny of this young woman whom God has chosen for so brilliant a lot." "Brilliant ?" said Gardiner, shrugging his shoulders.

"Let us first wait for the termination of her career, and then decide whether it has been brilliant.

Many a queen before this has fancied that she was resting on a couch of myrtles and roses, and has suddenly become conscious that she was lying on a red-hot gridiron, which consumed her." "It is true," murmured Cranmer, with a slight shudder, "it is a dangerous lot to be the king's consort.

But just on that account let us not make the perils of her position still greater, by adding to them our own enmity and hate.

Just on that account I beg you (and on my part I pledge you my word for it) that, let the choice of the queen be as it may, there may be no feeling of anger, and no desire for revenge in consequence.