Scarcely able to conceal his uneasiness, Hertford made a profound obeisance, and departed.
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Chapter VIII
IN WHAT MANNER THE KING’S WILL WAS SIGNED
No sooner had Hertford quitted the chamber than Butts and Ferrys, with a host of pages and henchmen, re-entered it. The physician hurried towards his royal patient’s couch, and proceeded to feel his pulse.
“What think you of me?” demanded Henry, looking fixedly at him. “Any change for the better?—ha!”
“None, sire,” replied the physician, gravely.
“I understand,” rejoined the king, with great firmness. “Shall I last till to-morrow? Speak truth; I can bear it.”
“If Heaven wills it, your Majesty will last so long,” answered the physician, with increased gravity. “You are now in far mightier hands than mine. I can do little more to aid you.”
Henry bore this dread announcement bravely. Leaning back upon his pillow, and looking upwards, he seemed for a while to be silently engaged in prayer. The physician signed to the attendants to keep still, so that the king was wholly undisturbed.
At length, the profound silence was broken by Henry, who, slightly raising himself, and turning to Butts, said, “May I have a draught of wine? Methinks it would do me good.”
“Ay, marry! sire, here is a stoup of your favorite Gascoigne wine,” replied the physician, filling a silver cup with the generous fluid, and presenting it to him. “I am right glad to find you so stout of heart.”
“Enough!” exclaimed the king, putting away the goblet with disgust, after placing it to his lips; “the wine likes me not. It tastes of blood—pah!”
“Will it please you to eat a mouthful of chicken-cullis?” asked Butts.
“No; I will eat nothing more,” replied Henry. “Let Sir John Gage be sent for with all despatch. Why comes he not?”
“He shall be summoned instantly,” replied Butts, issuing the necessary orders, and then returning to the king’s bedside. “Pardon me, sire,” he continued, in a low, earnest voice, “if I venture to remind you that you have left a most important matter undone. Your will, I perceive, is lying before you. Delay not the signing of it, I beseech you!”
“I will not sign it till I have spoken with Gage,” replied Henry, peremptorily. “There will be time to do it then.”
“Pray Heaven there may!” exclaimed the physician. “Not a moment ought to be lost.”
“Why comes not Sir John?” demanded Henry, after a pause, in a loud, fierce tone. “Send for him again; and bid him come quickly, if he values his life.”
“He is here, my liege,” replied Butts, as the Constable of the Tower entered the chamber, with a paper in his hand.
“Ha! you are come at last, Sir John,” cried the king, sharply. “Leave us alone together,” he added.
Whereupon the chamber was at once vacated by all save Gage. But, ere the private conference began, the arras on the further side of the king’s couch was cautiously raised, and Hertford stole into the room, and unperceived either by Gage or the king, concealed himself behind the thick curtains of the bed. The stealthy entrance of the earl was favored by the circumstance that this part of the chamber was almost buried in darkness.
“What paper hast thou in thine hand?” demanded Henry of the constable.
“One I would rather be without,” answered Gage, gruffly—”the warrant for Norfolk’s execution to-morrow.”
“See it done,” rejoined Henry, coldly.
“If it be done, your last act will be one of injustice and cruelty,” retorted the constable.
“How knowest thou it will be my last act?” said Henry, furiously. “I may live long enough to have thine own head as well as Norfolk’s.”
“I had rather you had mine than his,” said Gage; “and your own ingratitude would be less. Norfolk has served you longer and better than I have done.”
“Norfolk is dangerous to my son, and therefore he must be removed—and quickly. No more words! Again I say to thee, see it done!”
“I like it not,” grumbled the constable. “‘Tis a foul deed.”
“Hold thy peace! and turn we to another matter. Thou hast assisted at the debates concerning my will, and know’st its contents generally. Thou know’st also that I have appointed sixteen executors and twelve counsellors, and that amongst the executors is Hertford.”
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