All that I have of course heard from him; but you are right, sire, it is unimportant--it is not worth mentioning, and therefore I do not even make it as an accusation against him." "Ah, you are always a mad little witch, Rosabella!" cried the king, who had regained his cheerfulness.

"You say you will not accuse him, and yet you make his head a plaything that you poise upon your crimson lips.

But take care, my little duchess--take care, that this head does not fall from your lips with your laughing, and roll down to the ground; for I will not stop it--this head of the Earl of Surrey, of whom you say that he is no traitor." "But is it not monotonous and tiresome, if we accuse the father and son of the same crime ?" asked the duchess, laughing.

"Let us have a little variation.

Let the duke be a traitor; the son, my king, is by far a worse criminal!" "Is there, then, a still worse and more execrable crime than to be a traitor to his king and master, and to speak of the anointed of the Lord without reverence and love ?" "Yes, your majesty, there is a still worse crime; and of that I accuse the Earl of Surrey.