martyrs and inspired virgins was, under the reign of the Christian
king Henry, such a usual and every-day occurrence, that it could
afford a piquant entertainment neither to the court nor to himself.

But the representation of a Roman comedy, that, however, was a new
and piquant pleasure, a surprise for the young queen. He had the
"Curculio" played before his wife, and if Catharine indeed could
listen to the licentious and shameless jests of the popular Roman
poet only with bashful blushes, Henry was so much the more delighted
by it, and accompanied the obscenest allusions and the most indecent
jests with his uproarious laughter and loud shouts of applause.

At length this festivity was also over with, and Catharine was now
permitted to retire with her attendants to her private apartments.

With a pleasant smile, she dismissed her cavaliers, and bade her
women and her second maid of honor, Anna Askew, go into her boudoir
and await her call. Then she gave her arm to her friend Lady Jane
Douglas, and with her entered her cabinet.

At last she was alone, at last unwatched. The smile disappeared from
her face, and an expression of deep sadness was stamped upon her
features.

"Jane," said she, "pray thee shut the doors and draw the window
curtains, so that nobody can see me, nobody hear me, no one except
yourself, my friend, the companion of my happy childhood. Oh, my
God, my God, why was I so foolish as to leave my father's quiet,
lonely castle and go out into the world, which is so full of terror
and horror?"