ed by Osmund, who,
coming into the room, deferentially informed the priest that my Lord
Cardinal had sent his sumner to the Rectory, with a command that he, Mr
Bastian, should attend his court at eight o'clock on the following
morning. The interruption was welcome to both parties. The priest was
perplexed, and wanted time to think, no less than Mr Roberts. He had
anticipated an easy victory, and found himself unaccountably baffled.

In the present day, no English gentleman would bear such questioning by
a priest. The latter would very soon be told, in however civil
language, that an Englishman's house was his castle, and that he held
himself responsible for his actions to God alone. But the iron terror
of Rome was then over every heart. No priest could be defied, nor his
questions evaded, with impunity. If those days ever come back, it will
be the fault and the misery of Englishmen who would not take warning by
the past, but who suffered the enemy to creep in again "while men
slept." The liberties of England, let us never forget, were bought with
the blood of the Marian martyrs.

No sooner had the priest departed than Mistress Grena silently slid into
the room. She had evidently been on the watch.

"Brother," she said, in a voice which trembled with doubt and fear,
"what have you told him?"

"What you told him, Grena."

"Oh!" The exclamation spoke of intense relief.

"But you may thank Roger Hall for it."

"Roger Hall!--what ado had he therewith?"

"If you ask at him," answered Mr Roberts with a smile, "methinks he
will scarce know."

"Will he come again?" she asked fearfully--not alluding to Roger Hall.

"I wis not. Very like he will--maybe till he have consumed us. Grena,
I know not how it hath been with you, but for me, I have been an arrant
coward. God aiding me, I will be thus no longer, but will go forth in
the strength of the Lord God. Believe you these lying wonders and
deceitful doctrines? for I do not, and have never so done, though I have
made believe to do it. I will make believe no longer. I will be a man,
and no more a puppet, to be moved at the priest's pleasure. Thank God,
Pan is safe, and Gertrude is not like to fall in trouble. How say you?
Go you with me, or keep you Gertrude's company?"

Then Grena Holland broke down. All her little prim preciseness
vanished, and the real woman she was came out of her shell and showed
herself.

"O Tom!" she said, sobbing till she cou