"These twin brothers, William and Ralph Jefferay, are of gentle birth and they are born soldiers. They have an intended brother-in-law, a young nobleman named Geoffrey de Fynes. All the three are willing to take arms in your Majesty's cause and to fight under your banner. "This is my proposition, sire, that you ask the Queen to extend her gracious pardon to Ralph Jefferay, on the condition that the three young men I have named take service in Lord Clinton's contingent." The frown cleared from the King's brow, he even smiled as he said— "You plead well, Don Renard, you would have made a great lawyer; well, be it as you wish, I will ask her to do us this service." "To-night, sire?" said the Ambassador. "Nay, to-morrow," replied the King; "I must not urge State matters on the Queen at this late hour." "But, sire, to-morrow will be too late, the Star Chamber acts promptly, and to-morrow at ten o'clock Ralph Jefferay will stand in pillory at Tyburn!" replied Renard. The King flushed and looked somewhat angered; he was not accustomed to be thus urged. It was at this moment that an usher craved admission into the chamber, he brought a message from the Queen. "Would the King grant her a few minutes interview forthwith in her boudoir?" "Tell her Majesty that I will wait upon her immediately," he said to the usher. Then to the Ambassador he said— "There is your answer, Don Renard—Heaven fights for you!" "Yes, sire, thank God!" replied Renard fervently. Meanwhile the cause the Ambassador had at heart had progressed elsewhere. Mary was always strictly attentive to her religious duties, and, at the accustomed hour, she had gone to Vespers in the Chapel Royal, many of the courtiers accompanying her thither. At the conclusion of the short service she retired to her boudoir, dismissing her Court for the night. The Cardinal still knelt in the Chapel, until an usher came to summon him to the Queen's presence. He rose and followed him. The Queen had laid aside some of her heavy State robes, and her diamonds no longer glistened on her head and neck. She was clad in a rich suit of black velvet, her favourite attire. As the Cardinal entered she knelt before him. "Your blessing, father," she said. Then she rose, and in his turn the Prelate knelt and kissed her hand. She motioned him to a seat. Behind her stood two ladies-in-waiting. Pointing to them the Queen said— "Shall my ladies leave us? It shall be as you wish." Pole hesitated for a moment. He had a difficult and delicate cause to plead, he felt that he might be pitting the Queen against her husband if the Ambassador, on his part, failed to influence Philip. "It may be advisable, your Majesty," he said, and thereupon the Queen motioned to the ladies to withdraw. They were alone, and Reginald lifted up his heart to God for Divine guidance. "Madam," he said, "the hour grows late and you are weary, I will be very brief in what I have to say."