“Master More,” went on the King slowly and deliberately, “you have a fine conceit of yourself.”
Thomas was silent.
“Have you not?” roared the King. “We hear that this day, when you defended the Pope, you were full of fine phrases. Now, when you should defend yourself, you appear to have lost your voice. What is the meaning of this? What is the meaning of it, eh?”
“Before I begin the case for my defense, Sire, I must know what is the accusation.”
“You dare to stand before us … your King … and to ask what is the accusation! Master More, did you, or did you, not, deliberately act against your King this day?”
“Nay, Sire. I acted against injustice.”
The King's hands on the arms of his chair were clenched suddenly; they appeared to tremble.
“Did you hear that, Wolsey, did you hear that?”
“I did, Your Grace.”
“He acted against me… and he calls that acting against injustice! By God's body, what should I do with such a man, eh? Tell me that. You are the Chancellor of this realm. What should I do with him? Clap him into the Tower? Know this, my friend … know this: Those who act against the King are traitors. Master More, do you know the death that awaits a traitor?”
“I do, Your Grace.”
“You should … as a lawyer. Well… well… what have you to say? You stand there … Come, come, repeat to me what you said in the courts this day. You … you traitor … you … you who would work for a foreign power against your own country….”
“Your Grace, I was asked by the representative of His Holiness the Pope to argue his case for him. The Chancellor here will tell you that I only did what any lawyer would do.”
“And are you in the habit, Master More, of employing your talents to uphold injustice?”
“Nay, Sire.”
“And if you did not think a case was a just one, you would refuse it. I dare swear?”
“I should, Your Grace.”
The King rose. He put his hands on his hips and rocked on his heels. The little eyes opened very wide and he began to laugh.
“Here, Wolsey!” he cried. “Here is our man!”
Thomas looked in astonishment from King to Chancellor. Henry walked toward Thomas and laid a hand on his shoulder.
“It grieves us,” he said, “it grieves us mightily that when we find honest men in our kingdom … honest men and brave … they are not with us, but against us.” He lifted his hand suddenly and brought it down in an affectionate pat on Thomas's shoulder. “And when we grieve, Master More, we seek to right the grievance. That is so, is it not, Master Wolsey?”
The Chancellor came forward. “ 'Tis even so, my gracious lord.”
“Speak to him then, Wolsey. Tell this fellow what I have said of him.”
Then Wolsey spoke: “Our most gracious King, in his clemency, in his great love of truth and justice, is not displeased, as you might well believe, at the way in which the case went this afternoon. When I told His Grace what had happened, how you, with your learned discourse, with your determination to uphold what you believed right in this matter, had so swayed the court that the verdict went against the holding of the Pope's ship, his most gracious Majesty was thoughtful.”
“'Tis so!” interrupted the King. “ 'Tis so. And I said to Wolsey: ‘Thomas Wolsey,’ I said. ‘Thomas, I like it not when the best men in my kingdom … out of their honesty and bravery … are not with me, but against me.’ That is what I said to him. ‘By God,’ I said, ‘we should send for this fellow. He shall work for me in future, for he is a man that I like … and he is a man I will have beside me.…’”
“I understand not, Your Grace,” said Thomas.
“He understands not my grace!” said the King with a laugh. His eyes were sparkling with benevolence; the little mouth was slack with sentiment. “Aye, but you shall. You shall see, Thomas More, that I am a King who would surround himself with the best in the kingdom. I like you, Master More. You were against me… but I like you. That's the man I am. You dared to speak against your King, but such is your King that he likes you for it.”
Now he stood back like a boy who has all the toys that others envy; and who, because he is wise and kindly, will share those toys with the less fortunate.
“Come here, my friend.” He took Thomas's arm in a gesture of such friendliness that it startled Thomas. “Don't be afraid of us, Master More. Don't be overcome, my dear fellow. Yesterday you were a poor lawyer. Today the King is your friend. And you, my dear Wolsey, my other Thomas….” He put his arm through that of the Chancellor, and with them walked the length of the apartment. “We have work for a man like you here at court, Master More. We can lift you up. We can honor you with favors … and we will. You shall work with our Chancellor here, for he has taken a fancy to you. He likes you. Do you not, eh, Wolsey?”
“I do, my gracious master.”
“Indeed, you do.” The King stopped and looked with the utmost affection at the Cardinal. “There's not much missed by those shrewd eyes. Now there shall be two Thomases to serve their master … two good and honest men. What have you to say, Master More?”
“Your Grace overwhelms me. I know not what to say.”
The King began to laugh. “ 'Twas as good as a play, eh, Wolsey? As good as a masque! Master More, present yourself to the King! By God, Master More, when you entered this room you thought you'd march out of it to a dungeon, I doubt not. You did not know that you would find in it the King's warm regard… the King's favor.”
“Your Grace,” said Thomas, “I know you to be a just King. I did not believe that you would condemn a subject because that subject acted in accordance with what he believed to be right.”
“Well spoken,” said the King soberly. “Your advancement is certain. You will do well in the service of the Chancellor.”
“Your Grace, I… I have my duties as a lawyer….”
Both the King and Wolsey had raised their eyebrows, but Thomas went on boldly: “I have also my duties as Under-Sheriff of the City of London….”
“Enough! Enough!” said the King. “We shall take care of that. Man, I offer you great rewards. Look at this man here. He was but my chaplain, and I have made him the greatest man in this land … under myself. My father raised him up … and what was he before that? I'll tell you…. No, no. I will not tell you! Suffice it that it was humble … most humble, eh, Master Wolsey? But I like this man. I like this Wolsey. He is my counselor and my friend. And so … from little I lifted him to greatness. So will I do for you. Now … you are overwhelmed. It was a little joke of mine to tease you first, to fill you with fear, then to fill you with joy. You shall be a rich man, Master More. Fortune is favoring you, for the King is giving you his hand in friendship. Go away now… and think of the greatness which lies before you. I will let all men see this day how I honor those who are brave and honest men … even though they do not always share my views.”
“Your Grace …”
“You are dismissed, Master More,” said the King with a smile. “You shall speak of your gratitude some other time. You need now to be alone… to think of this sudden change in your fortunes.”
The King had turned away, calling for a page; and Thomas found himself walking backward out of the apartment.
SLOWLY HE made his way down to the river, where his barge was waiting for him.