Katharine's dull silence spurred him; he shrugged his shoulders and heaved a deep breath out. 'Why,' he said, 'a man can be found to wed the wench.' She moved one hand and uttered-- 'I would not wed her to such a man!' as if it were a matter that was not much in her thoughts. 'Then she may go into a nunnery,' the King said; 'for before three months are out we will have many nunneries in this realm.' She looked upon him a little absently, but she smiled at him to give him pleasure. She was thinking that she wished she had not wedded him; but she smiled because, things being as they were, she thought that she had all the authorities of the noble Greeks and Romans to bid her do what a good wife should. He laughed at her griefs, thinking that they were all about Margot Poins. He uttered jolly grossnesses; he said that she little knew the way of courts if she thought that a man, and a very good man, might not be found to wed the wench. She was troubled that he could not better read what was upon her mind, for she was thinking that her having consented to his making null his marriage with the Princess of Cleves that he might wed her would render her work always the more difficult. It would render her more the target for evil tongues, it would set a sterner and a more stubborn opposition against her task of restoring the Kingdom of God within that realm. Henry said-- 'Ye hannot guessed what my secret was? What have I done for thee this day?' She still looked away over the lands. She made her face smile-- 'Nay, I know not. Ha' ye brought me the musk I love well?' He shook his head. 'It is more than that!' he said. She still smiled-- 'Ha' ye--ha' ye--made make for me a new crown?' She feared a little that that was what he had done. For he had been urgent with her, many months, to be crowned. It was his way to love these things. And her heart was a little gladder when he shook his head once again and uttered-- 'It is more than that!' She dreaded his having made ready in secret a great pageant in her honour, for she was afraid of all aggrandisements, and thought still it had been better that she had remained his sweet friend ever and not the Queen. For in that way she would have had as much empire over him, and there would have been much less clamour against her--much less clamour against the Church of her Saviour. She forced her mind to run upon all the things that she could wish for. When she said it must be that he had ordered for her enough French taffetas to make twelve gowns, he laughed and said that he had said that it was more than a crown. When she guessed that he had made ready such a huge cavalcade that she might with great comfort and safety ride with him into Scotland, he laughed, contented that she should think of going with him upon that long journey. He stood looking at her, his little eyes blinking, his face full of pride and joy, and suddenly he uttered--