My God, the poor women are such odd beings, so unaccountable in their wishes and in their inclinations!" "Ah! it seems you know the women very intimately," cried Gardiner, with a malicious laugh.

"Verily, were you not Archbishop of Canterbury, and had not the king prohibited the marriage of ecclesiastics as a very grave crime, one might suppose that you had a wife yourself, and had gained from her a thorough knowledge of female character." Cranmer, somewhat embarrassed, turned away, and seemed to evade Gardiner's piercing look.

"We are not speaking of myself," said he at length, "but of the young queen, and I entreat for her your good wishes.
I have seen her to-day almost for the first time, and have never spoken with her, but her countenance has touchingly impressed me, and it appeared to me, her looks besought us to remain at her side, ready to help her on this difficult pathway, which five wives have already trod before her, and in which they found only misery and tears, disgrace, and blood." "Let Catharine beware then that she does not forsake the right way, as her five predecessors have done!" exclaimed Gardiner.

"May she be prudent and cautious, and may she be enlightened by God, that she may hold the true faith, and have true wisdom, and not allow herself to be seduced into the crooked path of the godless and heretical, but remain faithful and steadfast with those of the true faith!" "Who can say who are of the true faith ?" murmured Cranmer, sadly.

"There are so many paths leading to heaven, who knows which is the right one ?" "That which we tread!" cried Gardiner, with all the overweening pride of a minister of the church.