Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/93

 1569 -] ENGLISH PARTIES. 79 fishing in the river. Leicester told him that the ice was broken, and he had spoken with the Queen : ' some bab- bling women had made her Highness believe that they had intended to go through the enterprise without mak- ing her Majesty privy to it ; ' he had satisfied her that those tales were false and untrue : but what more was to be looked for he was unable to say. Prudence as well as policy would have recommended the Duke at once to follow up the opening. He met Cecil at the palace. Cecil advised him to go at once to the Queen and tell her everything. ' That was the best way to satisfy her Majesty and put doubts out of her mind/ l When he could not bring himself to the point, Elizabeth herself made an opportunity for him. After a day had passed and he had said nothing, ' the next morning, as she was walking in the garden, she called him to her and began merrily inquiring what news was abroad.' The Duke said he had heard of none. ' None ! ' she asked again ; ' you come from London, and can tell no news of a marriage ? ' He was about to throw himself upon his knees and begin, when Lady Clinton came up with a basket of flowers. The Northern earls and Don Guerau, and the black conspiracy behind the scenes, came back upon him in the moment of enforced reflection lie shrunk away and was silent. The time was peculiarly favourable. Elizabeth was still in the heat of her exasperation at the proceedings Confession of the Duke of Norfolk.