ifference if the doors were locked or not?'
But he durst not laugh aloud nor say anything to her, for, indeed, he
stood somewhat in awe of her.

Most of the hours were passed during the first months of his captivity
in writing books in English or Latin; but when pen and paper were taken
from him, and he could only scribble a few words with the end of a
charred stick, he had plenty of time to think over his life and to
recall the years that had been so happy. The harsh words that he had
written about men whose religion was different from his own did not
trouble him, nor the thought of the imprisonment to which he had
sentenced many of them. In those days everyone held his own religion to
be right, and any that differed from it to be wrong, and though sir
Thomas never would, and never did, send any man to the block for his
faith, yet he would have considered that he had failed in his duty had
he left them at liberty to teach their 'wicked opinions.' So his mind
did not dwell upon those things, but rather upon his coming death, which
he well foresaw, and upon the old days in Bishopsgate and Chelsea, when
he would examine his children in the lessons they had learned, or set
all the girls to write letters in Latin to his friend Erasmus, that he
might see which of them proved to have the most skill. From time to time
during this year efforts were made to gain him over to the side of the
king, who would have given him almost anything he asked as the price of
his conscience. Even Margaret Roper joined with the rest, and begged him
to consider whether it was not his duty to obey the Parliament, and to
remember that it was possible that he might be mistaken in his refusal,
as so many good men and true had taken the oath. But nothing would move
sir Thomas.

[Illustration: 'What now, Mother Eve?' he answered.]

'What now, Mother Eve?' he answered. 'Sit not musing with some serpent
in your breast, or some new persuasion to offer Father Adam the apple
yet once again.'

'I have sworn myself,' said she, and at this More laughed and replied:

'That was like Eve, too, for she offered Adam no worse fruit than she
had eaten herself.'

Finding that his daughter's persuasions were useless, the king and
council sent Cromwell to see if by fair words or threats he could induce
More to declare that the king was head of the church. But, try as he
might, nothing either treasonable or submissive could be wrung from the
prisoner.

'I am the