the hypocritical, lustful, and sanctimonious priestly rabble,
that with blasphemous hypocrisy fawn about the king, and are ever
watchful how they can set a trap for one of us honorable and brave men?
Is that what Heaven is now revealing to you?"

"No, my lord, I am only looking at a hawk which hovers about there in
the clouds. I saw him mount, earl, and only think of the wonder--he
had in each talon a dove! Two doves for one hawk. Is not that too
much--wholly contrary to law and nature?"

The earl cast on him a penetrating and distrustful look. But John
Heywood, remaining perfectly calm and unembarrassed, continued looking
at the clouds.

"How stupid such a brute is, and how much to his disadvantage will his
very greediness be! For since he holds a dove in each claw, he will not
be able to enjoy either of them; because he has no claw at liberty with
which to tear them. Soon as he wishes to enjoy the one, the other will
escape; when he grabs after that, the other flies away; and so at last
he will have nothing at all, because he was too rapacious and wanted
more than he could use."

"And you are looking after this hawk in the skies? But you are perhaps
mistaken, and he whom you seek is not above there at all, but here
below, and perchance quite close to you?" asked Thomas Seymour
significantly.

But John Heywood would not understand him.

"Nay," said he, "he still flies, but it will not last long. For verily
I saw the owner of the dovecot from which the hawk has stolen the two
doves. He had a weapon; and he, be ye sure of it--he will kill this
hawk, because he has robbed him of his pet doves."

"Enough, enough!" cried the earl, impatiently. "You would give me a
lesson, but you must know I take no counsel from a fool, even were he
the wisest."

"In that you are right, my lord, for only fools are so foolish as
to hearken to the voice of wisdom. Besides, each man forges his own
fortune. And now, wise sir, I will give you a key, which you yourself
have forged, and behind which lies your fortune. There, take this key;
and if you at midnight slip through the garden to the tower over yonder,
this key will open to you the door of the same, and you can then
without hesitation mount the spiral staircase and open the door which is
opposite the staircase. Behind that you will find the fortune which you
have forged for yourself, sir blacksmith, and which will bid you welcome
with warm lips and soft arms. And so commending y