"Have you captured the men of Moab? Have you smitten them with the sword?'
"No, your excellency," replied Dighton, who commanded the party. "They have escaped into the city."
"Heaven be thanked for that!" exclaimed Jane. "Then I care not what becomes of me."
Cromwell regarded her fixedly, not without a certain admiration.
"You are a stout-hearted maiden," he said. "'Tis a pity you cannot understand the truth."
"I understand some things," replied Jane, boldly. "I understand treason and rebellion, and I will have nought to do with traitors and rebels. Your excellency is fond of texts. Forget not that it has been said, 'Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and shall be so punished.' Remember also what Rabshakeh said to Hezekiah, 'On whom dost thou trust that thou rebellest?' Lastly, I ask with Nehemiah, 'What do ye? Will you rebel against the king?'"
"There is no king left," replied Cromwell. "The Lord has smitten the house of Ahab, and the seed royal shall be destroyed."
"Not so, thou worse than Athaliah," said Jane. "The blood of the royal Martyr cries for vengeance upon his murderers, and it will not cry in vain. Thou mayest capture yonder city—mayest destroy its brave and devoted citizens, but the king will escape—ay, escape, I tell thee—and mount the throne when thou art dust."
"While I live he shall never mount the throne," rejoined Cromwell.
His brow had grown very dark as he listened to Jane's imprudent speech, but he repressed his wrath, and a seasonable interruption was offered by the arrival of another party of musketeers under the command of Cornet Hardiman.