_Bridget:_ The King has just passed, grandmother. _Elizabeth:_ He has gone into Whitehall. _Mrs. Cromwell:_ Men will pity him. He had no pity. _Bridget:_ Do you think father is right, grandmother? Saying that it had to be? _Mrs. Cromwell:_ Yes, I do think so. _Elizabeth:_ He betrayed his own people. It was that. _Mrs. Cromwell:_ There could be no safety or hope while he lived. _Bridget:_ Yes. He betrayed his own people. That's it. _Mrs. Cromwell:_ Kings must love, too. _Elizabeth:_ When your father wanted to give him back his throne, a little simple honesty in the King would have saved all. But he could not come to that. _Bridget:_ The drums have stopped. _Mrs. Cromwell:_ Is Henry with your father? _Bridget:_ Yes. _Mrs. Cromwell:_ What is the time? _Elizabeth:_ Nearly one o'clock. _Bridget:_ It must be past one. _Mrs. Cromwell:_ Oliver will be the foremost man in England. _Bridget:_ Henry says he could be king. _Elizabeth:_ That he would never be. I know. _Mrs. Cromwell:_ He will have to guide all. _Bridget:_ Don't you wish it could have been done without this, grandmother? _Mrs. Cromwell:_ When the world labours in anger, child, you cannot name the hour. _Bridget:_ But Henry thinks it is right, too. _Mrs. Cromwell:_ If this be wrong, all was wrong. _Bridget:_ Yes. Thank you, grandmother. That is what I wanted. It was necessary. _Elizabeth:_ Henry meant to come back before the end, didn't he? _Bridget:_ He said so. _Mrs. Cromwell:_ It's very cold. _Bridget:_ I think it will snow again. _Elizabeth:_ What are the drums beating again for? _Bridget:_ Perhaps--I don't know. Will you have another shawl, grandmother? _Mrs. Cromwell:_ No, thank you. (IRETON comes in.) _Bridget:_ Has anything happened? _Ireton:_ Not yet. In a minute or two. At half-past one. It's three minutes yet. _Bridget:_ Is father there? _Ireton:_ Yes. _Elizabeth:_ Not alone? _Ireton:_ No. Fairfax and Harrison--five of them. _Mrs. Cromwell:_ The King--very brave, I suppose? _Ireton:_ Yes. That was inevitable. We are old campaigners. _Elizabeth:_ Oliver says that he has been noble since death was certain. _Ireton:_ Yes. _Bridget:_ If he had but lived so. _Ireton:_ He made life ignoble. He would have made it ignoble again, and always. He was a king and he despoiled his people. When that is, kings must perish. (There is a movement and sound of voices in the streets. IRETON opens the window. ELIZABETH and BRIDGET stand with him.) _Ireton:_ Yes. It is done. (MRS. CROMWELL slowly moves across to the window and stands with the others.) _Mrs. Cromwell:_ Poor, silly king. Oliver will be here directly. Shut the window, Henry.