The Miracle at St. Bruno's

I have heard he had accumulated much treasure during his days of power and that the King's coffers will be much enriched by it.”

"Master Cromwell will have a taste of what he was delighted to do to others. I can see them now at the Abbey. Those laden packhorses! All the riches and treasures of St. Bruno's.”

Lord Remus again begged his wife to have a care and this time she was silent. I knew she was thinking of Bruno and the anguish he had suffered.

I said to Lord Remus: "How could this man who has worked for the King so suddenly become a traitor? Are not his fortunes linked with those of the King? Is he a traitor then because two Princes of Europe have become enemies when they were friends?”

Lord Remus looked at me gently. There was something very kind about him and he and I had become good friends. I think he liked the deference I always showed him, which I felt was due to his age and position, and in any case I was sorry for the manner in which Kate behaved toward him.

"Why, Damask," he answered, "the way to the King's favor is through good fortune and can any man expect good fortune to attend him all the days of his life? There are those who would say that Thomas Cromwell has led a charmed life... until now.

They will tell you that Cromwell rose from humble stock to greatness. There again he resembled his master Wolsey. His father, they say, was a blacksmith and a fuller and shearer of cloth, but I have heard that he was a man of some small means having in his possession a hostelry and brewhouse. Cromwell is a man of great ability. Shrewd, cunning, but with little of those graces which would have helped his progress at Court. He was well fitted though to do the work the King gave him to do. But he was never liked. The King was never affectionate toward him as he was toward the Cardinal.

While he used Cromwell he despised him. It seems there is little chance for the man now.”

"I wonder any man wishes to serve the King.”

Lord Remus's eyes opened wide with fear. "It is the duty and pleasure of us all to serve His Majesty," he said loudly. "And it is wrong to show pity for those who ... are traitors toward him.”

I asked of what Cromwell had been accused. Was it bringing a wife whom the King found repulsive? If he had brought a beauty would he have been now living in peace in one of his many mansions?

"He is accused of secret dealing with the Germans. He has failed in his foreign policy, for the alliance he made with the Duke of Cleves is proved a nuisance to the King who wishes now to conclude a treaty with Emperor Charles. Cromwell's policy has brought no good to the country and in addition it has brought a wife to the King of whom he wishes to be rid.”

"It might so easily have gone the other way.”

Lord Remus bent toward me and said: "There is little sympathy for this man. His actions have not won the love of many. There will be plenty who will not shed a tear when his head rolls -as it surely must.”

Then I thought of my father's saying that the tragedy of one was the tragedy of us all; and I was very uneasy.

We were all very relieved when Kate's pains started and her labor was not long. Trust Kate to be lucky.

Remus and I sat in the anteroom of her bedroom in deep sympathy with each other.

He was very anxious and I tried to comfort him. He told me all that Kate had meant to him, how life had changed for him since his marriage, how wonderful she was and how terrified he had been when she was at Court lest the King's eyes stray too often toward her. How grateful he was to Norfolk's niece, Katharine Howard, who was not nearly so beautiful as Kate (who was?) but had a straying wanton glance which a greatly beguiled the King so that he scarcely saw anyone else He was sure that as soon as the King was free of his distasteful marriage, he would wish to make Katharine Howard his fifth Queen.

I shuddered and he said quietly, "You may well feel sorry for the poor child. She is so young, so unaware. I trust if it should ever come to a crown for her, fate will not be as unkind as it has been to her predecessors.”

And by fate of course he meant the King.

I tried to make him talk about the affair to keep his mind off Kate, but even at such a time he was too much aware of the dangers to say overmuch.

Then before we dared hope to we heard the cry of a child and we rushed into the room-and there he was, a healthy boy.

Kate lay back in her bed-exhausted and pale, beautiful in a new way, ethereal and triumphant.

The midwife was chuckling.

"A fine boy, my lord. And what a pair of lungs!”

I saw the color flood Remus's face. I doubt whether he had ever known such a proud moment.

"And her ladyship?" he said.

"It's rarely been my luck to have such an easy birth, my lord.”

He went to the bed and stood there looking down at her, his expression one of adoration.

Kate was too tired to talk; but she caught my eye and said my name.

"Congratulations, Kate," I said. "You have a fine boy.”

I saw the smile curve her lips. It was one of triumph.