H. C. Bailey

“ She could receive whom she would and be entertained by whosoever chose. For the first time her greedy appetite for magnificence fed well. She enjoyed her life. She was cold, but she was always quick to feel a man's eyes and enjoy them. Moreover, there was nothing subtle in King Philip's method of wooing. To his mind all women were as coarse in grain as himself, or coarser, and he expected them to be pleased with his rudest attentions. He put himself in Elizabeth's way and grinned and ogled without restraint. Her tastes were not delicate. She liked admiration from anything in man's shape. ”

“ She looked down at the girl with hungry eyes, but she had never known how to open her heart, and this splendid, vivid creature, correct and cold, frightened her into haughtiness. She was very glad to be alone again, and when she was alone she cried; and Elizabeth sneered at her for a monument of stupid pride. Yet in the midst of contempt Elizabeth had the wit to be aware that there was indeed a change in her sister beyond her understanding. It is not likely that even in the end of her life she understood how a woman could grow pitiful out of sorrow. ”

“ Mary had never been human to any but her mother. And here were stumbling phrases to blurt out anxious kindness, and withal most surpassing marvellous—something of a sad humility that seemed to be craving help or love. For a moment Elizabeth had a wild fancy that the thing must be forged. But that was plainly impossible—if the letter were not so impossible. Surely the woman was bewitched. She had changed her soul.
If anything had happened in London—— But there was no new news. The fires and the hangman were busy still. Philip and the legate still reigned. ”

“ Philip spluttered.
The Legate made mouths, and with a queer soft vehemence began oratory. “Madam, be you assured, there is no kind of men so pernicious to the commonwealth as they be. Therefore there cannot be a work of greater cruelty than to nourish or favour any such. So it is plain that true mercy is to destroy them that the realm may be saved so as by fire.”
“Fire!” she cried out and started up, her face livid and distorted. Her wild eyes stared a moment at the Legate's bland surprise. ”

“ He came a step nearer and put his hand on her wrist. “King Philip has spoken love to you.”
Their eyes contended. “Well, sir, and what was my answer?”
“You despise him,” said Dr. Dee slowly, and shrugged his shoulders. “A woman is apt to be in a hurry.”
“What would your wisdom have had me do?”
“I never make a man hate me for nothing. You might have played him till you were Queen and kept him here in your power.”
“Played him? With my sister dying beside me? I think they say well who say that art magic is of the devil.”
Dr. Dee put up his eyebrows. “Holy morality! ”

“ He was so pleased with that that he repeated it and laughed.
“You teach me my folly,” she muttered, and then looked up with a gleam in her eyes. “I brought you a dowry worth honour, if I am not.”
“Dowry! Dowry!” he spluttered, his big loose lip flapping. “Your England—an ant-heap of vile, impudent, naughty heretics! Madam, I rode through your London to-day and I swear not one head was bowed before me.”
She sighed drearily. “They mean nothing. But you hate them so.” ”

“ The man must be growing imbecile; it was time to make an end of him. He was something surprised when he received a letter in which Renard asked leave to resign, as he found the air of England destroying his health. But it was welcome. It was well to be rid of a man who could not honour the subtlety of his master's plans.
If he was to marry Elizabeth it was plain that he must make sure of her before Mary died. The girl had no cause to love him yet, and if he waited to show affection till her sister was dead and she was crowned and in power, she might have the bad taste to refuse him. ”

“ Dee's cold, precise voice.
Philip gave a nervous laugh. “You tell the future, doctor. Tell me mine.”
“It happens often that in a man's future there is that which he would not have others know. Will you entrust all yours to your companions, señor?”
“They are not to leave me, sir!” Philip cried.
“I hope that your Majesty is wise. Nay, sir, do not start. I were no doctor, but a fool not to know a face that is known through Europe.” ”

“ I have always found myself able to do more than I had planned. Now, madam, I think well enough of you to believe that you care no more for these brawls of Protestant and Catholic than I, who would as soon die for a nursery rhyme as a doctrine. But the smell of the burnings must disgust you when you know that for a bad dream or a touch of colic your sweet sister may set you burning too. In fine, madam, England is now but a shambles and you no better than a sheep being fattened. A shambles is no comfortable home for me and I conceive you could make one. ”

“ She opened it and showed the portrait of Philip and smiled at him. He was plainly puzzled. “How now? Is art magic dumb?”
“You take that and you laugh at him! Oh, you disappoint me. If it were his head you might be safe. Who else has seen that but me?”
“Only my sister,” Elizabeth smiled.
Dr. Dee came closer. “Did you hate her so much?” he said in a low voice.
“Sirrah, you are impudent!” she flushed.
Dr. Dee shrugged. “Oh, moralities, moralities! Well, he is gone out of England, then, he and his flames and his hangmen. The mind ranges free. ”

“ All that she had desired, all that she had won, had turned to sorrow in the hour of possession. The husband for whom she had humbled herself to beg spared her not so much as a gentleman's courtesy. The crown to which thousands had welcomed her now commanded neither honour nor love. As soon as she was in her grave—and death hovered near—her people would turn again from Spain and the faith of Spain and her reign would be as nought. She had no child to maintain her work; no child, though she had entreated heaven with burnt offerings of many heretics. ”

“ A man of more intelligence might have felt an awkwardness in suddenly asking favour for one for whose death he had been always passionate. But Philip's stupidity did not think of Mary finding anything strange in it. When he told her that she had gone too far with Elizabeth, that the girl's confinement was making him ill friends among the people, that they had best have her back to court, he expected her to think as he bade her think, and obey. ”

“ What are you but art magic—the best of you and the worst—with something of the woman to make best and worst more vehement? Kinsman after the spirit, I challenge your favour when you are come to your kingdom.”
“Kinsman!” she laughed.
“Forasmuch as we believe nothing, fear nothing, and hope all things, Madam, good-night.” He flung his cloak about him, he was again a black mysterious shape, he was gone.
Elizabeth went slowly back to her room and sat a long while gazing into the fire. When Mrs. Ashley came she found over her mistress's bed the portrait of King Philip. ”

“ Well, goodman Giles, I see no reason why you should be burnt for being a fool while so many fools are yet raw. So hie thee across the fields yonder to Witney and by New Yatt thou'lt find a great farmstead, and the farmer Peter Cogges is of thine own fool's temper. Therefore and for the sake of a word from me”—he scrawled on his tablets—“who once brought back his little soul to his great body, he'll give thee hiding till”—his bright eyes wandered to Elizabeth—“till a Queen who can love thee sits on the throne. ”

“ I doubt you have won yourself ill will with your executions and your burnings.”
“I?” The grotesque impudence of him amazed her. “My executions? In God's name, who asked them of me? Is it not you who have ever ordered me to kill? You who always asked blood—you—you—you!” She wrung her hands
“Madam, I think you are raising your voice to me,” he said haughtily. “And you grow wanton. I never asked you what was not your own desire.” ”

“ She looked at him keenly. “Is that all, sir?”
“Almost; but also I have cast your horoscope and I find you fated to sovereignty. It is necessary for the success of my experiments that I should command the favour and protection of those who reign.” She was silent, her eyes searching him still. “You are suspicious, madam?”
“Many kind gentlemen have laid traps for me, sir. I do not think that I shall fall to Dr. Dee.”
He shook his head. “This is your weakness: you will never dare act. ”

“ It needs no art to guess that you are shielding the heretics. So what have you done with them and what will you do next?” While he spoke the two poor creatures came crawling out of the ditch and knelt before Elizabeth with incoherent mutterings of thanks in a medley of phrases half profane. ”

“ She was suddenly aware that the pupils of his eyes had dilated till the iris was hidden. Then they dwindled again to tiny gleaming spots. He laughed. “Yes, you were born English. Your soul will never trouble your brain. ”

“ Dee turned to Elizabeth. “Strange that, since all religions are one, any man should care to burn or be burnt for the part he fancies.”
“You are an infidel, then?”
“No, madam, I have faith in everything. Even in you. Which, to be brief, is why I am here. Be pleased to walk forward with me, and your woman there, whose eyes are like to fall out of her head, may come behind with Abdullah.”
So they went on through the waves of mist, Dr. Dee's magnificence with his tinkling mule on one side and Elizabeth pensively on the other, while a score of yards behind Mrs. ”