Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1903-07-17


brutal consent that Mary might se
Brandon, and, with Frenchman's be
lief in woman's depravity, was exceed
ingly anxious to keep them apart. T,
this end he requested that a membe
Of his own retinue be placed near Bran
don. To this Henry readily consented
and there was an end to even the let
ter writing. Opportunities increase II
value doubly fast as they drift behind
us, and now that the princess could moi
see Brandon or even write to him she
regretted with her whole soul that she
had not gone to the Tower when she
had permission, regardless Of what any
one would say or think.
Mary was imperious and impatient
by nature, but upon rare and urgent
occasions could employ the very smooth.
est sort of finesse.
Henry's brutal selfishness in forcing
upon her the French marriage, togeth-
er with his cruel condemnation of
Brandon and his vile insinuations
against herself, had driven nearly ev-
cry spark Of affection for her brother
from her heart. But she felt that she
might feign an affection she did not
feel, and that what she so wanted would
be cheap at the price. Cheap? 1t would
be cheap at the cost Of her immortal
soul. Cheap? What she wanted was
life's condensed sweets-the man she
loved-and what she wanted to escape
was life's distilled misunderstanding
with man she loathed. None but
pure woman can know the torture of
that. l saw this whole disastrous cam
paign from start to finish. Mary began
with wide flank movement conducted
under masked batteries and skillfully
executed. She sighed over her troubles
and cried q great deal, but told the
king he had been such dear, kind
brother to her that she would gladly
do anything to please him and advance
his interests. She said 1t would be
torture to live with that old creature,
King Louis, but she would do 1t will.
ingly to help her handsome brother, no
matter how much she might suffer.
The king laughed and said: Poor
about his suffering? He thinks he is
making such fine bargain, but the
Lord pity him when he has my little
sister in his side for thorn. He had
better employ some energetic soul to
prick him with needles and bodkins,
for l think there is more power for
disturbance in this little body than in
any other equal amount Of space in all
the universe. You will furnish him
all t trouble he wants, won't you,
sister"
II shall try" said the princess de-
murely. perfectly willing to obey in
everything.
Devil doubt of that, and you will
succeed, too, or my crowns stew
pan." And he laughed at the huge joke
he was about to perpetrate on his poor
old royal brother.
It would seem that the tremendous
dose of flattery administered by Mary
would have been SO plainly self inter
ested as to alarm the dullest percep-
ton. but Henry's vanity was so dense
and his appetite for fiattery so great
that he accepted 1t all without sus-
picion, and it made him quite affable /
and gracious.
Mary kept up her show of affection /
and docile obedience for week or two /
until she thought Henry's suspicious /
were allayed, and then, after having
done enough petting and fondling, as
she thought, to start the earth itself
a-moving-as some men are foolish
enough to say it really does-she began
the attack direct by putting her arms
about the kings neck and piteously
begging him not to sacrifice her whole
life by sending her to France.
Her pathetic, soul charged appeal
might have softened the heart Of Calig-
ula himself, but Henry was not even
cruel. He was simply an animal so
absorbed in himself that he could not
ieel for others.
"Oh, 1t is out at lastr' he said with
. laugh. II thought all this sweetness
must have been for something. So the
ady wants her Brandon and doesn't
want her Louis, yet is willing to obey
ner dear, kind brother? Well we'll
AXE her at her word and let her obey.
You may as well understand, once and
or all, that you are to go TO France.
You promised to 90 decently if would
lot cut off that fellows head. and now
tell you that if hear another whim-
yer from you off it comes, and you will
70 to France too"
This brought Mary to terms quickly
nough. 1t touched her one vulnerable
pot-her love.
II will go; l promise it again. You
hall never hear another word that no
arm shall come to him-to him." And
he put her hands over her face to con-
cal her tears as she softly wept.
1.-THE day you sail for France Bran ,
on shall go free and shall again have
is old post at court. | like the fellow ,
s a good companion. and really believe
GU are more to blame than he"
81 am all to blame, and am ready this ,
ay to pay the penalty. l am at your :
isposal to go when and where you ,
hoose," answered Mary most pathet- .
ally. .
Poor, fair Proserpina, with no kind /,
lother Demeter to help her. The
round will soon open, and Pluto will
ave his bride.
That evening Cavendish took me
side and said his master, Wolsey.
ished to speak to me privately at a
b. -