And what was his coming here to-day other than a new assault on me?
He knows very well--and I have never made a secret of it--that I am an enemy to this Roman Catholic religion the pope of which has dared to hurl his ban against my lord and husband; and that I seek with lively interest to be instructed as to the doctrine and religion of the so-called reformers." "They say that you are a heretic," said the king, gravely.
"Gardiner says that! But if I am so, you are so too, my king; for your belief is mine.

If I am so, so too is Cranmer, the noble Archbishop of Canterbury; for he is my spiritual adviser and helper.

But Gardiner wishes that I were a heretic, and he wants me likewise to appear so to you.

See, my husband, why it was that he laid those eight death-warrants before you awhile ago.

There were eight, all heretics, whom you were to condemn--not a single papist among them; and yet I know that the prisons are full of papists, who, in the fanaticism of their persecuted faith, have spoken words just as worthy of punishment as those unfortunate ones whom you were to-day to send from life to death by a stroke of your pen.
Sire, I should have prayed you just as fervently, just as suppliantly, had they been papists whom you were to sentence to death! But Gardiner wanted a proof of my heresy; and therefore he selected eight heretics, for whom I was to oppose your hard decree." "It is true," said the king, thoughtfully; "there was not a single papist among them! But tell me, Kate--are you really a heretic, and an adversary of your king ?" With a sweet smile she looked deep into his eyes, and humbly crossed her arms over her beautiful breast.
"Your adversary!" whispered she.