'It seemeth,' she said ironically,'that one descrieth better at the humble end of the room than here on high'--and she read whilst the Queen panted. At last she raised her eyes and bent them darkly upon the Queen's face. 'Will you do what this knight asks?' she uttered. 'For what he asks seemeth prudent.' 'A' God's name,' Katharine said, 'let me not now hear of this man.' 'Why,' the Lady Mary answered coolly, 'if I am to be of the Queen's alliance I must be of the Queen's council and my voice have a weight.' 'But will you? Will you?' Katharine brought out. 'Will you listen to my voice?' Mary said. 'I will not listen to yours. Hear now what this goodly knight saith. For, if I am to be your well-wisher, I must call him goodly that so well wishes to you.' Katharine wrung her hands. 'Ye torture me,' she said. 'Well, I have been tortured,' Mary answered, 'and I have come through it and live.' She swallowed in her throat, and thus, with her eyes upon the writing, brought out the words-- 'This knight bids you beware of one Mary Lascelles or Hall, and her brother, Edward Lascelles, that is of the Archbishop's service.' 'I will not hear what Throckmorton says,' Katharine answered. 'Ay, but you shall,' Mary said, 'or I come down from this chair. I am not minded to be allied to a Queen that shall be undone. That is not prudence.' 'God help me!' the Queen said. 'God helps most willingly them that take counsel with themselves and prudence,' her step-daughter answered; 'and these are the words of the knight.' She held up the parchment and read out: '"Therefore I--and you know how much your well-wisher I be--upon my bended knees do pray you do one of two things: either to put out both these twain from your courts and presence, or if that you cannot or will not do, so richly to reward them as that you shall win them to your service. For a little rotten fruit will spread a great stink; a small ferment shall pollute a whole well. And these twain, I am advised, assured, convinced, and have convicted them, will spread such a rotten fog and mist about your reputation and so turn even your good and gracious actions to evil seeming that--I swear and vow, O most high Sovereign, for whom I have risked, as you wot, life, limb and the fell rack----"' The Lady Mary looked up at the Queen's face. 'Will you not listen to the pleadings of this man?' she said. 'I will so reward Lascelles and his sister as they have merited.' the Queen said. 'So much and no more. And not all the pleadings of this knight shall move me to listen to any witness that he brings against any man nor maid. So help me, God; for I do know how he served his master Cromwell.' 'For love of thee!' the Lady Mary said. The Queen wrung her hands as if she would wash a stain from them. 'God help me!' she said. 'I prayed the King for the life of Privy Seal that was!' 'He would not hear thee,' the Lady Mary said. She looked long upon the Queen's face with unmoved and searching eyes.