The Queen, the
Lieutenant told Anthony, was to come up that afternoon passing through
London, and that she had desired to see him on her way through to
Nonsuch; he could not tell him why he was sent for, though he conjectured
it was because of Mistress Corbet's death, and that her Grace wished to
know the details.
"However," said the Lieutenant, "you now have your opportunity to speak
for yourself, and I think you a very fortunate man, Mr. Norris. Few have
had such a privilege, though I remember that Mr. Campion had it too,
though he made poor use of it."
Anthony said nothing. His mind was throbbing with memories and
associations. The air of state and luxury in the corridors through which
he had just come, the discreet guarded doors, the servants in the royal
liveries standing here and there, the sense of expectancy that mingled
with the solemn hush of the palace--all served to bring up the figure of
Mary Corbet, whom he had seen so often in these circumstances; and the
thought of her made the peril in which he stood and the hope of escape
from it seem very secondary matters. He walked to the window presently
and looked out upon the little court below, one of the innumerable yards
of that vast palace, and stood staring down on the hound that was chained
there near one of the entrances, and that yawned and blinked in the
autumn sunshine.
Even as he looked the dog paused in the middle of his stretch and stood
expectant with his ears cocked, a servant dashed bareheaded down a couple
of steps and out through the low archway; and simultaneously Anthony
heard once more the sweet shrill trumpets that told of the Queen's
approach; then there came the roll of drums and the thunder of horses'
feet and the noise of wheels; the trumpets sang out again nearer, and the
rumbling waxed louder as the Queen's cavalcade, out of sight, passed the
entrance of the archway down upon which Anthony looked; and then stilled,
and the palace itself began to hum and stir; a door or two banged in the
distance, feet ran past the door of the ante-room, and the strain of the
trumpets sounded once in the house itself.
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