men, beseech me on their knees for leave to die for me, it shakes
me - ah, it shakes me to the marrow of my old bones.'
Her chest sounded like a board as she hit it.
'She showed 'em all. I told 'em that this was no time for open
war with Spain. If by miracle inconceivable they prevailed against
Philip's fleet, Philip would hold me accountable. For England's
sake, to save war, I should e'en be forced (I told 'em so) to give
him up their young lives. If they failed, and again by some miracle
escaped Philip's hand, and crept back to England with their bare
lives, they must lie - oh, I told 'em all - under my sovereign
displeasure. She could not know them, see them, nor hear their
names, nor stretch out a finger to save them from the gallows, if
Philip chose to ask it.

'"Be it the gallows, then," says the elder. (I could have wept,
but that my face was made for the day.)

'"Either way - any way - this venture is death, which I know
you fear not. But it is death with assured dishonour," I cried.

'"Yet our Queen will know in her heart what we have done,"
says the younger.
'"Sweetheart," I said. "A queen has no heart."

'"But she is a woman, and a woman would not forget," says
the elder. "We will go!" They knelt at my feet.

'"Nay, dear lads - but here!" I said, and I opened my arms to
them and I kissed them.