"Even so," replied the Jew, with a bitter sigh; "she was named after her
mother."
"You, doubtless, saw her, and, struck by her beauty, which we hear was
most marvellous, paid her more courtesy than was quite fitting in a
betrothed man. But Satan lays many snares for the unwary, and beauty is
a peril that few men altogether escape. Verily, it is of the evil one.
But there are excuses; at least there may be excuses, especially in such
a land as France, where temptation assumes every seducing form; and a
young woman, like this lady, might have been easily led to believe your
courtliness to be that of the heart, whereas it was only that of the
manner."
The rabbi stood aghast, his friend Cromwell talked in a tone so much
more moderate than he had expected--he knew not what to think. Even
Burrell, who had anticipated a thunder-storm, was deceived by the calm;
and, after considering a moment that the Protector would not speak thus
if he had really received any communication from Hugh Dalton, replied,
breathing freely for the first time since he received the mandate to
appear at Hampton Court,-"It is possible she might have been led to such belief, though, as I
have before assured her father, I had no intention so to mislead his
daughter. It is very hard to be suspected of a crime so base; and----"
"But innocence wears a robe of such pure light," interrupted the
Protector, "that it will shine in the darkest night, as yours will, if
you are innocent. Know you how the fair Jewess became possessed of this
picture? Nay, I should hesitate to think harshly of you, even if you had
given it to her, which you might have done in pure friendliness,
although the world--it is a harsh and ill-judging world--might condemn
you on such ground. But we have ourselves suffered so much from its
wrong judgment, as to have learned mercy towards others. Friendship,
excellent, right, true friendship, may exist between man and woman in
our advanced--ay, and in our young years. Why should it not? Or, as the
picture is of excellent painting, and the young lady, it would seem,
desired accomplishment in that useless art, you might have lent it her
as a study--or----"
"I certainly did not give it," replied Burrell; "but I have some idea of
having lent it, with sundry Flemish drawings. Your Highness may remember
that several gentlemen, attached to the embassy at Paris, came away
hastily. I was one of those."