Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1903-06-12

could not and, in short, would not go
another day without seeing hm-no,
not another hour. Jane and opposed
her all we could. but the best we could
accomplish was to induce her for Bran
don's sake-for she was beginning to
see that he was the one who had to
suffer for her indscretions - to ask
Henry's permission, and if he refused
then try some other way. TO deter
mine was to act with Mary. so off she
went without delay to hunt the king,
taking Jane and me along as escort
How full we were of important bust
ness as we scurried along the corridors,
one on each side of Mary, all talking
excitedly at once! When anything was
to be done, it always required three of
DIS to do it.
We found the king, and without any
prelude Mary proffered her request.
OF course it was refused. Mary pouted
and was getting ready for an outburst
when Wolsey spoke up: with your
majesty's gracious permission, | would
subscribe to the petition of the prin-
cess. She has been good enough to
give her promise in the matter of so
much Importance to us, and in 50 small
a thing as this l hope you may see
your way clear toward favoring her
Tie interview will be the last and may
help to make her duty easier" Mary
gave the cardinal a fieeting glance
from her lustrous eyes full of surprise
and gratitude and as speaking as
book.
Henry looked from one to the other
of us for Il moment and broke into
boisterous laugh
ooh, don't care, so that you keep it
secret. The old king will never
know. We can hurry up the marriage.
He is getting too much already-4OO,-
600 crowns and a girl like you. He
cannot complain if he have an heir. 1t
would be a good joke on the misery
old dotard, but better on 'Ce eros
Garcon.'"
Mary sprang from her chair with a
cry of rage. You brute. Do you
think l am as vile as you because 1
have the misfortune to be your sister,
or that Charles Brandon is like you
simply because he is a man" Henry
laughed, his health at that time being
too good for him to be i'll natured. He
had all he wanted out of his sister, so
her outbursts amused him.
Mary hurriedly left the king and
walked back to her room, filled with
shame and rage, feelings actively slim
ulated by Jane, who was equally indig-
nant.
Henry had noticed James frown, but
had laughed at her and had tried to
catch and kiss her as she left, but she
struggled away from him and fed
with a speed worthy of the cause.
This insulting suggestion put a stop
to Marys visit to the Tower more eff
fectually than any refusal could have
done, and she sat down to pour forth
her souls Indignation in letter.
She remained at home then, but saw
Brandon later, and to good purpose, as
l believe, although l am not sure about
1t even to this day.
took this letter to Brandon along
with Mary's miniature-the one that
had been painted for Charles Of Ger
many, but had never been given-and
curl of her hair and it looked as if
this was all he would ever possess Of
her
De Longueville heard of Henry's
brutal consent that Mary might see
Brandon, and. with Il Frcnchman's be-
lief in woman's depravity, was exceed
ingly anxious to keep them apart. To
this end he requested that a member
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 in
value doubly fast as they drift behind
us, and now that the princess could not
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.
Henrys brutal selfshness 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 a man she loathed. None but a
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 skllfully
executed. She sighed over her troubles
and cried great deal, but told the
king he had been such q dear, kind