expression. He fastened his searching eyes on Catharine, as though
he would read in her looks whether she knew who had dared to
interrupt their conversation.

But Catharine's countenance expressed unconcealed astonishment.
"Mercy, mercy!" repeated the voice from the interior of the chamber.

The king uttered an angry exclamation, and hastily withdrew from the
balcony.




CHAPTER IV.

KING BY THE WRATH OF GOD.


"Who dares interrupt us?" cried the king, as with headlong step he
returned to the chamber--"who dares speak of mercy?"

"I dare!" said a young lady, who, pale, with distorted features, in
frightful agitation, now hastened to the king and prostrated herself
before him. "Anne Askew!" cried Catharine, amazed. "Anne, what want
you here?"

"I want mercy, mercy for those wretched ones, who are suffering
yonder," cried the young maiden, pointing with an expression of
horror to the reddened sky. "I want mercy for the king himself, who
is so cruel as to send the noblest and the best of his subjects to