He was pleased that the malignant and persistent persecutors of his fair and proud wife should now be humbled by her before the eyes of all his court.
Therefore he looked at her with an imperceptible smile, and said with deep interest: "But how could this happen, my lady?
By what path did you get thither ?" "That is an inquiry which any one except the king is authorized to make.
King Henry alone knows the way that I went!" said Catharine, with a slight smile.
John Heywood, who was still standing behind the king's throne, now bent down close to Henry's ear, and spoke with him a long time in a quick, low tone.
The king listened to him attentively; then he murmured so loud that the bystanders could very well understand him: "By God, she is a spirited and brave woman; and we should be obliged to confess that, even were she not our queen!" "Continue, my lady!" said he then aloud, turning to the queen with a gracious look.

"Relate to me, Catharine, what saw you then in the torture-chamber ?" "Oh, my king and lord, it horrifies me only to think of it," cried she, shuddering and turning pale.

"I saw a poor young woman who writhed in fearful agony, and whose staring eyes were raised in mute supplication to Heaven.

She did not beg her tormentors for mercy; she wanted from them no compassion and no pity; she did not scream and whine from the pain, though her limbs cracked and her flesh snapped apart like glass; she raised her clasped hands to God, and her lips murmured low prayers, which, perhaps, made the angels of heaven weep, but were not able to touch the hearts of her tormentors.

You had ordered her to be racked, if she would not retract.