ave a care, Julian, how thou seemest to approve their
methods; for there is a great determination in high places to put
down at once and for all the vile doctrines which are corrupting
all the land."

"I approve no heresy," cried Julian eagerly. "I do but ask why it
be heresy to read the Word of God, and to have in possession a
portion of it in the language of one's country."

"Marry, dost thou not know that one reason is the many errors the
translators have fallen into, which deceive the unwary and lead the
flock astray?" cried Edred eagerly. "Brother Emmanuel has told me
some amongst these, and there are doubtless many others of which he
may not have heard. A man may not drink with impunity of poisoned
waters; neither is it safe to take as the Word of God a book which
may have many perversions of His truth."

Edred looked up at Brother Emmanuel for confirmation of this
explanation. It was the monk's habit to encourage the boys to
discuss any question of interest freely amongst themselves, he
listening in silence the while, and later on giving them the
benefit of his opinion. All the three turned to him now to see what
he would say upon a point that was already agitating the country,
and was preparing the way for a shaking that should lead to an
altogether new state of existence both in Church and State. Even
out here in the garden, in the sanctuary of their own home, with
only their friend and spiritual pastor to hear them, the boys spoke
with bated breath, as though fearful of uttering words which might
have within them some germ of that dreaded sin of heresy.

As for Brother Emmanuel, he sat with his hands folded in his
sleeves, the great book upon his knees, a slight and thoughtful
smile playing around the corners of his finely-cut mouth. His whole
face was intensely spiritual in expression. The features were
delicately cut, and bore the impress of an ascetic life, as well as
of gentle birth and noble blood. He was, in fact, a scion of an
ancient and powerful house; but it was one of those houses that had
suffered sorely in the recent strife, and whose members had been
scattered and cut off. He had no powerful relatives and friends to
turn to now for promotion to rich benefice or high ecclesiastical
preferment, and he had certainly never lamented this fact. In heart
and soul he was a follower of the rules of poverty laid down by the
founder of his order, and would have thought himself untrue to his
calling ha