第33章 FATHER AND DAUGHTER.(5)
She knew that， just then， he was reading her soul， although she did not look at him.
"Then you no longer refuse？" asked he， at length. "You will inspire the young queen with love for the Earl of Surrey？""I will endeavor to do it， my father.""If you try， with a real and energetic determination to succeed， you will prevail. For， as you said， the queen's heart is still free； it is， then， like a fruitful soil， which is only waiting for some one to sow the seed in it， to bring forth flowers and fruit. Catharine Parr does not love the king； you will， then， teach her to love Henry Howard.""Yet， my father，" said Lady Jane， with a sarcastic smile， "to bring about this result， one must， before all things， be acquainted with a magic spell， through the might of which the earl will first glow with love for Catharine. For the queen has a proud soul， and she will never so forget her dignity as to love a man who is not inflamed with an ardent passion for her. But the earl has not only a bride， but， as it is said， a mistress also.""Ah！ you consider it， then， perfectly unworthy of a woman to love a man who does not adore her？" asked the earl， in a significant tone.
"I am rejoiced to hear this from my daughter， and thus to he certain that she will not fall in love with the Earl of Surrey， who is everywhere else called 'the lady-killer.' And if you have informed yourself in so surprising a manner as to the earl's private relations， you have done so， without doubt， only because your sagacious and subtle head has already guessed what commission Iwould give you with respect to the earl. Besides， my daughter， you are in error： and if a certain high， but not on that account the less very unfortunate lady， should happen to really love the Earl of Surrey， her lot will， perhaps， be the common one--to practise resignation."An expression of joyful surprise passed over the countenance of Lady Jane， while her father thus spoke； but it was forced to instantly give way to a deathly paleness， as the earl added： "Henry Howard is destined for Catharine Parr， and you are to help her to love so hotly this proud， handsome earl， who is a faithful servant of the Church， wherein alone is salvation， that she will forget all considerations and all dangers."Lady Jane ventured one more objection. She caught eagerly at her father's words， to seek still for some way of escape.
"You call the earl a faithful servant of our Church，" said she， "and yet you would implicate him also in your dangerous plot？ You have not， then， my father， considered that it is just as pernicious to love the queen as to be loved by her？ And， without doubt， if love for the Earl of Surrey bring the queen to the scaffold， the head of the earl will fall at the same time， no matter whether he return her love or not."The earl shrugged his shoulders.
"When the question is about the weal of the Church and our holy religion， the danger which， thereby， it may be， threatens one of our number， must not frighten us back. Holy sacrifices must be always offered to a holy cause. Well and good， then， let the earl's head fall， provided the only saving Church gains new vigor from this blood of martyrs. But see， Jane， the morning already begins to dawn， and I must hasten to leave you， lest these courtiers， ever given to slandering， may in some way or other take the father for a lover， and cast suspicion on the immaculate virtue of my Jane. Farewell， then， my daughter！ We both， now， know our r鬺es， and will take care to play them with success. You are the friend and confidante of the queen， and I the harmless courtier， who tries， now and then， to gain a smile from the king by some kind and merry jest. That is all.
Good-morning， then， Jane， and good-night. For you must sleep， my child， so that your cheeks may remain fresh and your eyes bright.
The king hates pining pale-faces. Sleep， then， future Queen of England！"He gently kissed her forehead， and left the room with lingering step.
Lady Jane stood and listened to the sound of his footsteps gradually dying away， when she sank on her knees， wholly crushed， utterly stunned.
"My God， my God！" murmured she， while streams of tears flooded her face， "and I am to inspire the queen with love for the Earl of Surrey， and I--I love him！"