“You have been playing the devil at a great rate,” he said, “You have disobeyed your brother and your king; have disgraced yourself; have probably made trouble between us and France, for if Louis refuses to take you now I will cram you down his throat; and by your own story have led a good man to the block.  Quite a budget of evils for one woman to open.  But I have noticed that the trouble a woman can make is in proportion to her beauty, and no wonder my little sister has made so much disturbance.  It is strange, though, that he should so affect you.  Master Wolsey, surely there has been witchery here.  He must have used it abundantly to cast such a spell over my sister.”  Then turning to the princess:  “Was it at any time possible for him to have given you a love powder; or did he ever make any signs or passes over you?”

“Oh, no! nothing of that sort.  I never ate or drank anything which he could possibly have touched.  And as to signs and passes, I know he never made any.  Sir Edwin, you were always present when I was with him until after we left for Bristol; did you ever see anything of the sort?”

I answered “No,” and she went on.  “Besides, I do not believe much in signs and passes.  No one can affect others unless he can induce them to eat or drink something in which he has placed a love powder or potion.  Then again, Master Brandon did not want me to love him, and surely would not have used such a method to gain what he could have had freely without it.”

I noticed that Henry’s mind had wandered from what Mary was saying, and that his eyes were fixed upon me with a thoughtful, half vicious, inquiring stare that I did not like.  I wondered what was coming next, but my curiosity was more than satisfied when the king asked:  “So Caskoden was present at all your interviews?”

Ah!  Holy Mother!  I knew what was coming now, and actually began to shrivel with fright.  The king continued:  “I suppose he helped you to escape?”

I thought my day had come, but Mary’s wit was equal to the occasion.  With an expression on her face of the most dove-like innocence, she quickly said: 

“Oh! no! neither he nor Jane knew anything of it.  We were afraid they might divulge it.”

Shade of Sapphira!

A lie is a pretty good thing, too, now and then, and the man who says that word of Mary’s was not a blessed lie, must fight me with lance, battle-ax, sword and dagger till one or the other of us bites the dust in death, be he great or small.

“I am glad to learn that you knew nothing of it,” said Henry, addressing me; and I was glad, too, for him to learn it, you may be sure.

Then spoke Wolsey:  “If your majesty will permit, I would say that I quite agree with you; there has been witchery here—­witchery of the most potent kind; the witchery of lustrous eyes, of fair skin and rosy lips; the witchery of all that is sweet and intoxicating in womanhood, but Master Brandon has been the victim of this potent spell, not the user of it.  One look upon your sister standing there, and I know your majesty will agree that Brandon had no choice against her.”