But they would not let her be; so
she looked on her crucifix and was silent; and even then my lord of Kent
badgered her and told her Christ crucified in her hand would not save
her, except He was engraved on her heart.
"Then she knelt at her chair and tried to pray softly to herself; but
Fletcher would not have that, and prayed himself, aloud, and all the
gentlemen in the hall began to pray aloud with him. But Mary prayed on in
Latin and English aloud, and prevailed, for all were silent at the end
but she.
"And at last she kissed the crucifix and cried in a sweet piercing voice,
'As thine arms, O Jesus, were spread upon the Cross, so receive me into
Thy mercy and forgive me my sins!'"
Again Mistress Corbet was silent; and Anthony drew a long sobbing breath
of pure pity, and Isabel was crying quietly to herself.
"When the headsmen offered to assist her," went on the low voice, "the
queen smiled at the gentlemen and said that she had never had such grooms
before; and then they let the ladies come up. When they began to help her
with her dress I covered my face--I could not help it. There was such a
stillness now that I could hear her beads chink at her girdle. When I
looked again, she was ready, with her sweet neck uncovered: all round her
was black but the headsman, who wore a white apron over his velvet, and
she, in her beauty, and oh! her face was so fair and delicate and her
eyes so tender and joyous. And as her ladies looked at her, they sobbed
piteously.
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