"Catherine will be avenged by means of this woman," muttered Anne as
she turned away. "I already feel some of the torments with which she
threatened me. And she suspects Norris. I must impress more caution
on him. Ah! when a man loves deeply, as he loves me, due restraint is
seldom maintained."
But though alarmed, Anne was by no means aware of the critical
position in which she stood. She could not persuade herself that she
had entirely lost her influence with the king; and she thought that when
his momentary passion had subsided, it would return to its old
channels.
She was mistaken. Jane Seymour was absolute mistress of his heart;
and Anne was now as great a bar to him as she had before been an
attraction. Had her conduct been irreproachable, it might have been
difficult to remove her; but, unfortunately, she had placed herself at his
mercy, by yielding to the impulses of vanity, and secretly encouraging
the passion of Sir Henry Norris, groom of the stole.
This favoured personage was somewhat above the middle Size,
squarely and strongly built. His features were regularly and finely
formed, and he had a ruddy complexion, brown curling hair, good teeth,
and fine eyes of a clear blue.
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