“No, Madam,” replied Pole. “I must acquit Bonner of any complicity in the affair. He merely looks for a victim.” “He shall not find one in Constance Tyrrell,” said Mary. “My heart bleeds for her.” “Well it may, Madam,” replied Pole. “A sad fatality has rested upon her ever since the King’s arrival in Southampton, when her marvellous beauty attracted his attention, and excited a passion which nothing apparently can subdue.” “He saw her before he beheld me, and loved her better than he loved me!” cried Mary, bitterly. “Something of this I suspected, but I thought I had removed her from his influence by taking her with me to Winchester.” “Ay, but the King contrived to obtain a secret interview with the damsel before your departure,” said Pole, “and this is the only part of her conduct that deserves censure. Moved by his passionate words and captivating manner, which few could resist, she listened to him, and at last owned she loved him, or thought she loved him.” “Oh, I know his power!” cried Mary. “He exercised the same fascination over me.” “But withdrawn from his baneful influence, poor Constance bitterly repented of the error into which she had been led, and, by the advice of Father Jerome, the good priest of Saint Catherine’s chapel at Winchester, to whom she confessed her fault, she left with him a tablet of gold, enriched with precious stones, which had been given her by the King as a gage of love. By Father Jerome’s advice, also, she quitted Winchester and returned to her father at Southampton, the good priest dreading lest, if she remained with your Majesty, she might be exposed to further temptation.” “Father Jerome did right,” said Mary; “and, perchance, he saved her from dishonour.” “Up to this time, Constance had been a zealous Catholic,” pursued Pole; “but, while attending Derrick Carver at the Hospital of the Domus Dei at Southampton, she imbibed his pernicious doctrines, and embraced the Reformed faith. This deplorable change, I fear, is attributable to the King.” “Methinks your Eminence is unjust there,” observed Mary.