“Ay, your grace,” Betty replied; “I was sent to Sir Edmund to crave his attendance in our private rooms.”
“A ruse!” exclaimed the queen at once; “the rogue lashed your horse to gain some notice from Bedingfield. How thick are some brains not to see such manœuvers! But it only interests me more in the man. Where does he live, Mary? what manner of house has he?”
Mrs. Wyatt, abashed at her unfortunate blunder in bringing up Queen Catherine’s affairs, was more reluctant to answer.
“’Tis a gloomy place in London,” she said, “and would little interest your highness.”
“But it does interest me, madam,” Anne exclaimed, with a touch of imperious temper; “I will know all that you do.”
“Having said so much, Wyatt, there is no hurt in saying all,” remarked Lady Rochford, scornfully.
Mary Wyatt cast a glance of anger and dislike at the woman whom she deeply distrusted, believing her untrue to the queen, but she obeyed Anne’s behest and told the rest without further demur.
“The house is in London,” she said calmly, “and we came to it by the water-gate, over the which is set a great image of an owl. The building is very old; ’tis said that William Rufus built it, but I know not; it is dark and tall and narrow, for there have been two stories added to the original two, and these upper ones are graduated, being like two blocks set on the house, the highest being the least, and the roof is pointed like the houses that I saw at Antwerp. From the outside, it seems as full of windows as a sieve is full of holes, and none are even, but within ’tis dark as a sepulcher. The door we came to, which faces the river, is small and very strong, having three cross-bars of iron to stay the wood, and on it are the signs of the zodiac, and above it the head of a serpent. The house, they say, hath five doors, albeit you may find but three with the naked eye; but verily there should be one opening downward for the convenience of Satan. When you are admitted there are stairs to climb up, up, to the third story, the first of the two little ones. Here there are three rooms all draped, and here he receives you. Above only his favored clients go; that upper story is his observatory, from whence he says he reads the heavens and casts your horoscope. Many gruesome things he has there, a treasury of horrors. But truly, madam, the man is marvellous and reads the mind as he doth an open scroll.”
“I will see this marvel,” said the queen, with sudden animation; “I will go to this house—unknown—and have my horoscope cast.”
“Oh, madam, I beseech you not!” cried Mrs. Wyatt, her face paling with some apprehension which she dared not tell; “if you must see him, have him here, as becomes you, but not there—not there!”