{"product_id":"2940013616264","title":"HOUSE OF TORMENT","description":"CONTENTS\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e       I IN THE QUEEN'S CLOSET; THE FOUR FACES\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e      II THE HOUSE OF SHAME; THE LADDER OF GLORY\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e     III THE MEETING WITH JOHN HULL AT CHELMSFORD\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e      IV PART TAKEN IN AFFAIRS BY THE HALF TESTOON\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e       V THE FINDING OF ELIZABETH\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e      VI A KING AND A VICTIM. TWO GRIM MEN\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e     VII HEY HO! AND A RUMBELOW!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    VIII \"WHY, WHO BUT YOU, JOHNNIE!\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e      IX \"MISERICORDIA ET JUSTITIA\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e       X THE SILENT MEN IN BLACK\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e      XI IN THE BOX\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e     XII \"TENDIMUS IN LATIUM\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCHAPTER I\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIN THE QUEEN'S CLOSET; THE FOUR FACES\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSir Henry Commendone sat upon an oak box clamped with bands of iron and\u003cbr\u003ewatched his son completing his morning toilette.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"And how like you this life of the Court, John?\" he said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe young man smoothed out the feather of his tall cone-shaped hat.\u003cbr\u003e\"Truly, father,\" he answered, \"in respect of itself it seems a very good\u003cbr\u003elife, but in respect that it is far from the fields and home it is\u003cbr\u003enaught. But I like it very well. And I think I am likely to rise high. I\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eam now attached to the King Consort, by the Queen's pleasure. His\u003cbr\u003eHighness has spoken frequently with me, and I have my commission duly\u003cbr\u003ewritten out as _caballerizo_.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I never could learn Spanish,\" the elder man replied, wagging his head.\u003cbr\u003e\"Father Chilches tried to teach me often of an afternoon when you were\u003cbr\u003ehawking. What does the word mean in essence?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Groom of the body, father--equerry. It is doubtless because I speak\u003cbr\u003eSpanish that it hath been given me.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Very like, Johnnie. But since the Queen, God bless her, has come to the\u003cbr\u003ethrone, and England is reconciled to Holy Church, thou wert bound to\u003cbr\u003eget a post at Court. They could not ignore our name. I wrote to the\u003cbr\u003eBishop of London myself, he placed my request before the Queen's Grace,\u003cbr\u003eand hence thou art here and in high favour.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe young man smiled. \"Which I shall endeavour to keep,\" he answered.\u003cbr\u003e\"And now I must soon go to the Queen's lodging. I am in attendance on\u003cbr\u003eKing Philip.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"And I to horse with my men at noon and so home to Kent. I am glad to\u003cbr\u003ehave seen thee, Johnnie, in thy new life, though I do not love London\u003cbr\u003eand the Court. But tell me of the Queen's husband. The neighbours will\u003cbr\u003eall want news of him. It's little enough they like the Spanish match in\u003cbr\u003eKent. Give me a picture of him.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I have been at Court a month,\" John Commendone answered, \"and I have\u003cbr\u003elearned more than one good lesson. There is a Spanish saying that runs\u003cbr\u003ethis way, '_Palabras y plumas viento las Heva_' (Words and feathers are\u003cbr\u003ecarried far by the wind). I will tell you, father, but repeat nothing\u003cbr\u003eagain. Kent is not far away, and I have ambition.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSir Henry chuckled. \"Prudent lad,\" he said; \"thou art born to be about a\u003cbr\u003epalace. I'll say nothing.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Well then, here is your man, a pedant and a fool, a stickler for little\u003cbr\u003etrifles, a very child for detail. Her Grace the Queen and all the nobles\u003cbr\u003espeak many languages. Every man is learned now. His Highness speaks but\u003cbr\u003eSpanish, though he has a little French. Never did I see a man with so\u003cbr\u003esmall a mind, and yet he thinks he can see deep down into men's hearts\u003cbr\u003eand motives, and knows all private and public affairs.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSir John whistled. He plucked at one of the roses of burnt silver\u003cbr\u003eembroidered upon the doublet of green tissue he was wearing--the gala\u003cbr\u003edress which he had put on for his visit to Court, a garment which was a\u003cbr\u003egood many years behind the fashion, but thought most elegant by his\u003cbr\u003ebrother squires in Kent.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"So!\" he said, \"then this match will prove as bad for the country as all\u003cbr\u003ethe neighbours are saying. Still, he is a good Catholic, and that is\u003cbr\u003esomething.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJohn nodded carelessly. \"More so,\" he replied, \"than is thought becoming\u003cbr\u003eto his rank and age by many good Catholics about the Court. He is as\u003cbr\u003eregular at mass, sermons, and vespers as a monk--hath a leash of friars\u003cbr\u003eto preach for his instruction, and disputes in theology with others half\u003cbr\u003ethe night till Her Grace hath to send one of her gentlemen to bid him\u003cbr\u003ecome to bed.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Early days for that,\" said the Kentish gentleman, \"though, in faith,\u003cbr\u003ethe Queen is thirty-eight and----\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJohn started. \"Whist!\" he said. \"I'm setting you an evil example, sir.\u003cbr\u003eLong ears abound in the Tower. I'll say no more.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I'm mum, Johnnie,\" Sir Henry replied. \"I'll break in upon thee no more.\u003cbr\u003eGet on with thy tale.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"'Tis a bargain then, sir, and repeat nothing I tell you. I was saying\u003cbr\u003eabout His Highness's religion.","brand":"SAP","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47079591477488,"sku":"2940013616264","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940013616264_p0.jpg?v=1763583064","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940013616264","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}