.

KING BY THE WRATH OF GOD.
"Who dares interrupt us ?" cried the king, as with headlong step he returned to the chamber--"who dares speak of mercy ?" "I dare!" said a young lady, who, pale, with distorted features, in frightful agitation, now hastened to the king and prostrated herself before him.

"Anne Askew!" cried Catharine, amazed.

"Anne, what want you here ?" "I want mercy, mercy for those wretched ones, who are suffering yonder," cried the young maiden, pointing with an expression of horror to the reddened sky.

"I want mercy for the king himself, who is so cruel as to send the noblest and the best of his subjects to the slaughter like miserable brutes!" "Oh, sire, have compassion on this poor child!" besought Catharine, turning to Henry, "compassion on her impassioned excitement and her youthful ardor! She is as yet unaccustomed to these frightful scenes--she knows not yet that it is the sad duty of kings to be constrained to punish, where they might prefer to pardon!" Henry smiled; but the look which he cast on the kneeling girl made Catharine tremble.