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182 my surprise the Cardinal stepped forward, and thus addressed the King:

'I take it upon myself to speak to your Majesty on behalf of this man, who is a stranger amongst us. He has answered your questions, and I am inclined to believe has spoken according to his convictions. He may be deranged in his mind—who can tell? It falls to the lot of many who are not suspected. He has not rebelled against your government, or conspired against your person. Forgive me, O my King—why therefore should he die? The world has changed since you and I lived in it. Discoveries of a wonderful nature have doubtless been made. We believe in the existence of heaven, but we cannot tell what marvels may be there to astonish and delight us when we get there. When I was in the world I thought only of the world, of my wealth, grandeur, and power, like the blind idiot and drivelling fool that I was. My cursed ambition and avarice deprived me of all sense and prudence, and thought of the terrible future; and had I served my God as well as I served thee, O King, I should not have been allowed to die in wretchedness on my way to the Tower of London. Be advised; let this man go; shed no more blood!'

'And dost thou charge me with thy death?' bellowed the King. 'What dost thou say to the Christian martyrs, Peter and Paul and Stephen, with hundreds more whom God allowed to die as they died?'

At that moment another commotion took place in the hall. A wild, foreign-looking man, with white hair flying behind him, rushed in and threw himself at the King's feet. He was followed by an infuriated woman, who was armed with a stout stick, with which she attacked the man, and rained on him a shower of blows. He did not resist her or attempt to defend himself, but roared, 'Save me! save me!' The woman screamed, 'Take that, you villain, and that, and that, and that!'