'Loosen his shirt,' she said. 'Feel if his heart beats!' The Lady Rochford had a face full of fear and repulsion. 'Loosen his shirt. Feel if his heart beats,' the Queen said. 'And oh!' she added, 'woe shall fall upon thee if he be dead.' She reflected a moment to think upon how long it should be ere the King came to her door. Then she raised her chair, and sat down at her mirror. For one minute she set her face into her hands; then she began to straighten herself, and with her hands behind her to tighten the laces of her dress. 'For,' she continued to Lady Rochford, 'I do hold thee more guilty of his death than himself. He is but a drunkard in his cups, thou a palterer in sobriety.' She set her cap upon her head and smoothed the hair beneath it. In all her movements there was a great swiftness and decision. She set the jewel in her cap, the pomander at her side, the chain around her neck, the jewel at her breast. 'His heart beats,' the Lady Rochford said, from her knees at Culpepper's side. 'Then thank the saints,' Katharine answered, 'and do up again his shirt.' She hurried in her attiring, and uttered engrossed commands. 'Kneel thou there by his side. If he stir or mutter before the King be in and the door closed, put thy hand across his mouth.' 'But the King----' the Lady Rochford said. 'And----' 'Merciful God!' Katharine cried out again. 'I am the Queen. Kneel there.' The Lady Rochford trembled down upon her knees; she was in fear for her life by the axe if the King came in. 'I thank God that the King is come,' the Queen said. 'If he had not, this man must have gone from hence in the sight of other men. So I will pardon thee for having cried out if now thou hold him silent till the King be in.' There came from very near a blare of trumpets. Katharine rose up, and went again to gaze upon her cousin. The dagger she laid upon her table. 'He may hold still yet,' she said. 'But I charge you that you muzzle him if he move or squeak.' There came great blows upon the door, and through the heavy wood, the Ha-ha of many voices. Slowly the Queen moved to the bed, and from it took the key where she had thrown it. There came again the heavy knocking, and she unlocked the door, slowly still. In the corridor there were many torches, and beneath them the figure of the King in scarlet. Behind him was Norfolk all in black and with his yellow face, and Cranmer in black and with his anxious eyes, and behind them many other lords. The King came in, and, slow and stately, the Queen went down on her knees to greet him. The torch-light shone upon her jewels and her garments; her fair face was immobile, and her eyes upon the ground. The King raised her up, bent his knee to her, and kissed her on the hands, and so, turning to the men without, he uttered, roundly and fully, and his cheeks were ruddy with joy, and his eyes smiled--