"
"Of a surety not," replied the cardinal musingly, and gazing hard at her.
"And you know nothing of your parents?"
"Little beyond this," replied Mabel:-" My father was a keeper of the
forest, and being unhappily gored by a stag, perished of the wound--for
a hurt from a hart's horn, as your grace knows, is certain death; and my
mother pined after him and speedily followed him to the grave. I was
then placed by my grandsire with Sister Anastasia, as I have just
related--and this is all my history."
"A simple yet a curious one," said Wolsey, still musing. "You are the
fairest maid of low degree I ever beheld. You saw the king at the chase
the other day, Mabel?"
"Truly, did I, your grace," she replied, her eyes brightening and her
colour rising; "and a right noble king he is."
"And as gentle and winning as he is goodly to look upon," said Wolsey,
smiling.
"Report says otherwise," rejoined Mabel.
"Report speaks falsely," cried Wolsey; "I know him well, and he is what I
describe him."
"I am glad to hear it," replied Mabel; "and I must own I formed the same
opinion myself--for the smile he threw upon me was one of the sweetest
and kindliest I ever beheld.
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