'Have you heard enow to make you believe that these lords' hearts are true to the endeavour of casting the Queen down?'
'I have heard enow,' a smooth voice said. 'I never thought it had been otherwise.'
'Who is this?' Wriothesley said. 'I will know who this is that has heard us.'
'You fool,' Gardiner said; 'this man is of the other side.'
'They have come to you!' Norfolk said.
'To whom else should we come,' the voice answered.
A subtler silence of agitation and thought was between these two men. At last Gardiner said—
'Tell these lords what you would have of us?'
'We would have these promises,' the voice said; 'first, of you, my Lord Duke, that if by our endeavours your brother's child be brought to a trial for unchastity you will in no wise aid her at that trial with your voice or your encouragement.'
'A trial!' and 'Unchastity!' the Duke said. 'This is a winter madness. Ye know that my niece—St Kevin curse her for it—is as chaste as the snow.'