Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 5.djvu/550

530 'I must not say so, your Majesty,' Elizabeth replied.

'Belike you will to others?' said the Queen.

'No, please your Majesty,' answered the Princess. 'I have borne the burden, and I must bear it. I pray your Majesty to have a good opinion of me, and to think me your true subject, not only from the beginning but while life lasteth.'

The Queen did not answer, she muttered only in Spanish, 'Sabe Dios,' 'God knows,' and Elizabeth withdrew.

It was said that, during the interview, Philip was concealed behind a curtain, anxious for a sight of the captive damsel whose favour with the people was such a perplexity to him.

At this time Elizabeth was beautiful; her haughty features were softened by misfortune; and as it is certain that Philip, when he left England, gave special directions for her good treatment, so it is possible that he may have envied the fortune which he intended for the Prince of Savoy; and the scheme which he afterwards attempted to execute, of making her his own wife on the Queen's death, may have then suggested itself to him as a solution of the English difficulty. The magnificent girl, who was already the idol of the country, must have presented an emphatic contrast with the lean, childless, haggard, forlorn Mary; and he may easily have allowed his fancy to play with a pleasant temptation. If it was so, Philip was far too careless of