amtosuchahappyend，thinkingthatyourqueenwouldnotdaretolayahandonme，who，bythegraceofGod，amaqueenassheis，thedaughterofaqueenassheis，crownedassheis，hernearrelative，granddaughterofKingHenryVII，andwhohashadthehonourofbeingQueenofFrance，ofwhichIamstillDowager；andthisfearwassomuchthegreater，“addedshe，layingherhandonaNewTestamentwhichwasnearheronthelittletable，“that，Iswearonthisholybook，Ihaveneverattempted，consentedto，orevendesiredthedeathofmysister，theQueenofEngland。“
“Madam，“repliedtheEarlofKent，takingasteptowardsherandpointingtotheNewTestament；“thisbookonwhichyouhaveswornisnotgenuine，sinceitisthepapistversion；consequently，youroathcannotbeconsideredasanymoregenuinethanthebookonwhichithasbeentaken。“
“Mylord，“answeredthequeen，“whatyousaymaybefityou，butnotme，whowellknowthatthisbookisthetrueandfaithfulversionofthewordoftheLord，aversionmadebyaverywisedivine，averygoodman，andapprovedbytheChurch。“
“Madam，“theEarlofKentreturned，“yourGracestoppedatwhatyouweretaughtinyouryouth，withoutinquiryastowhetheritwasgoodorbad：itisnotsurprising，then，thatyouhaveremainedinyourerror，forwantofhavingheardanyonewhocouldmakeknownthetruthtoyou；thisiswhy，asyourGracehasbutafewhourslongertoremaininthisworld，andconsequentlyhasnotimetolose，withyourpermissionweshallsendfortheDeanofPeterborough，themostlearnedmanthereisonthesubjectofreligion，who，withhisword，willprepareyouforyoursalvation，whichyourisktoourgreatgriefandthatofouraugustqueen，byallthepapisticalfollies，abominations，andchildishnonsensewhichkeepCatholicsawayfromtheholywordofGodandtheknowledgeofthetruth。“
“Youmistake，mylord，“repliedthequeengently，“ifyouhavebelievedthatIhavegrownupcarelessinthefaithofmyfathers，andwithoutseriouslyoccupyingmyselfwithamattersoimportantasreligion。Ihave，onthecontrary，spentmylifewithlearnedandwisemenwhotaughtmewhatonemustlearnonthissubject，andI
havesustainedmyselfbyreadingtheirworks，sincethemeansofhearingthemhasbeentakenfromme。Besides，neverhavingdoubtedinmylifetime，doubtisnotlikelytoseizemeinmydeath-hour。
AndthereistheEarlofShrewsbury，herepresent，whowilltellyouthat，sincemyarrivalinEngland，Ihave，foranentireLent，ofwhichIrepent，heardyourwisestdoctors，withouttheirargumentshavingmadeanyimpressiononmymind。Itwillbeuseless，then，mylord，“sheadded，smiling，“tosummontoonesohardenedasItheDeanofPeterborough，learnedasheis。TheonlythingIaskyouinexchange，mylord，andforwhichIshallbegratefultoyoubeyondexpression，isthatyouwillsendmemyalmoner，whomyoukeepshutupinthishouse，toconsolemeandpreparemefordeath，or，inhisstead，anotherpriest，behewhohemay；ifonlyapoorpriestfromapoorvillage，IbeingnohardertopleasethanGod，andnotaskingthathehaveknowledge，providedthathehasfaith。“
“Itiswithregret，madam，“repliedtheEarlofKent，“thatIfindmyselfobligedtorefuseyourGrace’s，request；butitwouldbecontrarytoourreligionandourconscience，andweshouldbeculpableindoingit；thisiswhyweagainofferyouthevenerableDeanofPeterborough，certainthatyourGracewillfindmoreconsolationandcontentinhimthaninanybishop，priest，orvicaroftheCatholicfaith。“
“Thankyou，mylord，“saidthequeenagain，“butIhavenothingto-dowithhim，andasIhaveaconsciencefreeofthecrimeforwhichIamabouttodie，withGod’shelp，martyrdomwilltaketheplaceofconfessionforme。Andnow，Iwillremindyou，mylord，ofwhatyoutoldmeyourself，thatIhavebutafewhourstolive；andthesefewhours，toprofitme，shouldbepassedinprayerandmeditation，andnotinidledisputes。“
Withthesewords，sherose，and，bowingtotheearls，SirRobertBeale，Amyas，andDrury，sheindictated，byagesturefullofdignity，thatshewishedtobealoneandinpeace；then，astheypreparedtogoout——
“Apropos，mylords，“saidshe，“forwhato’clockshouldImakereadytodie？“
“Foreighto’clockto-morrow，madam，“answeredtheEarlofShrewsbury，stammering。
“Itiswell，“saidMary；“buthaveyounotsomereplytomakeme，frommysisterElizabeth，relativetoaletterwhichIwrotetoheraboutamonthago？“
“Andofwhatdidthislettertreat，ifitpleaseyou，madam？“askedtheEarlofKent。
“Ofmyburialandmyfuneralceremony，mylord：IaskedtobeinterredinFrance，inthecathedralchurchofRheims，nearthelatequeenmymother。“
“Thatmaynotbe，madam，“repliedtheEarlofKent；“butdonottroubleyourselfastoallthesedetails：thequeen，myaugustmistress，willprovideforthemasissuitable。Hasyourgraceanythingelsetoaskus？“
“Iwouldalsoliketoknow，“saidMary，“ifmyservantswillbeallowedtoreturn，eachtohisowncountry，withthelittlethatI
cangivehim；whichwillhardlybeenough，inanycase，forthelongservicetheyhavedoneme，andthelongimprisonmenttheyhaveborneonmyaccount。“
“Wehavenoinstructionsonthathead，madam，“theEarlofKentsaid，“butwethinkthatanorderwillbegivenforthisasfortheotherthings，inaccordancewithyourwishes。IsthisallthatyourGracehastosaytous？“
“Yes，mylord，“repliedthequeen，bowingasecondtime，“andnowyoumaywithdraw。“
“Onemoment，mylords，inHeaven’sname，onemoment！“criedtheoldphysician，comingforwardandthrowinghimselfonhiskneesbeforethetwoearls。
“Whatdoyouwant？“askedLordShrewsbury。
“Topointouttoyou，mylords，“repliedtheagedBourgoin，weeping，“thatyouhavegrantedthequeenbutaveryshorttimeforsuchanimportantmatterasthisofherlife。Reflect，mylords，whatrankanddegreeshewhomyouhavecondemnedhasheldamongtheprincesofthisearth，andconsiderifitiswellandseemlytotreatherasanordinarycondemnedpersonofmiddlingestate。Andifnotforthesakeofthisnoblequeen，mylords，dothisforthesakeofusherpoorservants，who，havinghadthehonouroflivingnearhersolong，cannotthuspartfromhersoquicklyandwithoutpreparation。
Besides，mylords，thinkofit，awomanofherstateandpositionoughttohavesometimeinwhichtosetinorderherlastaffairs。
Andwhatwillbecomeofher，andofus，ifbeforedying，ourmistresshasnottimetoregulateherjointureandheraccountsandtoputinorderherpapersandhertitle-deeds？Shehasservicestorewardandofficesofpietytoperform。Sheshouldnotneglecttheoneortheother。Besides，weknowthatshewillonlyconcernherselfwithus，and，throughthis，mylords，neglectherownsalvation。Granther，then，afewmoredays，mylords；andasourmistressistooproudtoaskofyousuchafavour，Iaskyouinallournames，andimploreyounottorefusetopoorservantsarequestwhichyouraugustqueenwouldcertainlynotrefusethem，iftheyhadthegoodfortunetobeabletolayitatherfeet。“
“Isitthentrue，madam，“SirRobertBealeasked，“thatyouhavenotyetmadeawill？“
“Ihavenot，sir，“thequeenanswered。
“Inthatcase，mylords，“saidSirRobertBeale，turningtothetwoearls，“perhapsitwouldbeagoodthingtoputitoffforadayortwo。“
“Impossible，sir，“repliedtheEarlofShrewsbury：“thetimeisfixed，andwecannotchangeanything，evenbyaminute，now。“
“Enough，Bourgoin，enough，“saidthequeen；“rise，Icommandyou。“
Bourgoinobeyed，andtheEarlofShrewsbury，turningtoSirAmyasPaulet，whowasbehindhim——
“SirAmyas，“saidhe，“weentrustthisladytoyourkeeping：youwillchargeyourselfwithher，andkeephersafetillourreturn。“
Withthesewordshewentout，followedbytheEarlofKent，SirRobertBeale，AmyasPaulet，andDrury，andthequeenremainedalonewithherservants。
Then，turningtoherwomenwithassereneacountenanceasiftheeventwhichhadjusttakenplacewasoflittleimportance“Well，Jeanne，“saidshe，speakingtoKennedy，“haveInotalwaystoldyou，andwasInotright，thatatthebottomoftheirheartstheywantedtodothis？anddidInotseeclearlythroughalltheirproceduretheendtheyhadinview，andknowwellenoughthatIwastoogreatanobstacletotheirfalsereligiontobeallowedtolive？
Come，“continuedshe，“hastensuppernow，thatImayputmyaffairsinorder“。Then，seeingthatinsteadofobeyingher，herservantswereweepingandlamenting，“Mychildren，“saidshe，withasadsmile，butwithoutatearinhereye，“itisnotimeforweeping，quitethecontrary；forifyouloveme，yououghttorejoicethattheLord，inmakingmedieforHiscause，relievesmefromthetormentsI
haveenduredfornineteenyears。Asforme，IthankHimforallowingmetodieforthegloryofHisfaithandHisChurch。Leteachhavepatience，then，andwhilethemenpreparesupper，wewomenwillpraytoGod。“
Themenimmediatelywentout，weepingandsobbing，andthequeenandherwomenfellontheirknees。Whentheyhadrecitedsomeprayers，Maryrose，andsendingforallthemoneyshehadleft，shecounteditanddivideditintoportions，whichsheputintopurseswiththenameofthedestinedrecipient，inherhandwriting，withthemoney。
Atthatmoment，supperbeingserved，sheseatedherselfattablewithherwomenasusual，theotherservantsstandingorcomingandgoing，herdoctorwaitingonherattableashewasaccustomedsinceherstewardhadbeentakenfromher。Sheatenomorenorlessthanusual，speaking，throughoutsupper，oftheEarlofKent，andofthewayinwhichhebetrayedhimselfwithrespecttoreligion，byhisinsistingonwantingtogivethequeenapastorinsteadofapriest。
“Happily，“sheadded，laughing，“onemoreskilfulthanhewasneededtochangeme“。MeanwhileBourgoinwasweepingbehindthequeen，forhewasthinkingthathewasservingherforthelasttime，andthatshewhowaseating，talking，andlaughingthus，nextdayatthesamehourwouldbebutacoldandinsensiblecorpse。
Whenthemealwasover，thequeensentforallherservants；then；