“Yes, sire; your orders have been executed with the greatest exactness. Heneage and Lady Berkley are below; they await your majesty.”
“Is Dr. Roland also there?” demanded the king.
“Yes, sire; he has been there more than an hour.”
“Well, go and seek Lady Boleyn.”
Norris immediately descended. He found all the doors of Lady Boleyn’s apartments open, and in the distance heard exclamations mingling, and unceasingly repeated.
“Oh! how lovely is my lady. Never did she look more fair!” they cried. “How handsomely my lady’s hair is dressed, and what beautiful hair it is! What a sweet complexion, what a charming figure! There is not a woman in all the kingdom who is my lady’s equal!”
Hearing this concert of praise, Anne Boleyn began to take courage.
“No, no,” she said with an air of disdain; “I am very badly dressed to-day.”
As she said these words Norris entered and announced to Lady Boleyn that the king awaited her.
She followed him at once, accompanied by Anne Savage; the other women stood in astonishment, and were very curious to know why this favor was shown to their companion, while the jealousy with which they already regarded her was still further increased.