Oh, my husband, make of these eight criminals eight happy, thankful subjects; teach them to love that king whom they have reviled--teach their children, their wives and mothers to pray for you, whilst you restore life and freedom to these fathers, these sons and husbands, and while you, great and merciful, like Deity, pardon them." "So shall it be!" cried the king, cheerfully.

"Our hand shall have to-day no other work than to rest in yours; and we will spare it from making these eight strokes of the pen.

The eight evil-doers are pardoned; and they shall be free this very day." With an exclamation of rapturous delight Catharine pressed Henry's hand to her lips, and her face shone with pure happiness.
"And your second wish ?" asked the king.
"My second wish," said she, with a smile, "pleads for the freedom of a poor prisoner--for the freedom of a human heart, sire." The king laughed.

"A human heart?
Does that then run about on the street, so that it can be caught and made a prisoner of ?" "Sire, you have found it, and incarcerated it in your daughter's bosom.
You want to put Elizabeth's heart in fetters, and by an unnatural law compel her to renounce her freedom of choice.

Only think--to want to bid a woman's heart, before she can love, to inquire first about the genealogical tree, and to look at the coat-of-arms before she notices the man!" "Oh, women, women, what foolish children you are, though!" cried the king, laughingly.