“I not only repent of this love, but I execrate it! and now, my father, let us go; for you see, indeed, my lord is becoming impatient. He bears in mind that the king will find no rest until the Howards also have gone to rest. Ah, King Henry! King Henry! Thou callest thyself the mighty king of the world, and yet thou tremblest before the arms of thy subject! My lord, if you go to the king to-day, give him Henry Howard’s greeting; and tell him, I wish his bed may be as easy to him as the grave will be to me. Now, come, my lords! It is time.”
With head proudly erect and calm step, he turned to the door. But now Jane Douglas sprang from the ground; now she rushed to Henry Howard and clung to him with all the might of her passion and agony. “I leave you not!” cried she, breathless and pale as death. “You dare not repulse me, for you have sworn that we shall live and die together.”
He hurled her from him in fierce wrath, and drew himself up before her, lofty and threatening.
“I forbid you to follow me!” cried he, in a tone of command. She reeled back against the wall and looked at him, trembling and breathless.
He was still lord over her soul; she was still subject to him in love and obedience. She could not therefore summon up courage to defy his command.
She beheld him as he left the room and passed down the corridor with his dreadful train; she heard their footsteps gradually die away; and then suddenly in the yard sounded the hollow roll of the drum.
Jane Douglas fell on her knees to pray, but her lips trembled so much that she could find no words for her prayer.
The roll of the drum ceased in the court below, and only the death-bell still continued to wail and wail. She heard a voice speaking loud and powerful words.
It was his voice; it was Henry Howard that was speaking. And now again the hollow roll of the drums drowned his voice.
“He dies! He dies, and I am not with him!” cried she, with a shriek; and she gathered herself up, and as if borne by a whirlwind she dashed out of the room, through the corridor, and down the stairs.