en he began to
laugh, his look was altogether devilish.

'You did not know me, pretty one,' he said to Althea, 'did you? When I
had seen Golding laid in gaol, I swore none but I should bring you the
joyful news; and I can tell you he is worse lodged than even his great
prophet, Fox himself, at whose lodging in Lancaster Castle I looked this
year with great pleasure--very smoky, and wet, and foul it is.'

'Wretch!' said Althea; 'do you exult over the sufferings of harmless,
peaceable men?'

'Harmless and peaceable, quotha?' said he; 'it was one of these
peaceable creatures flung me into the dust like a worm; but the worm
turns, you know. I took much pains to requite that kindness, and now I
cry quits with Master Andrew.'

'Your wickedness shall return on your own head! I pray God it may!'
cries Althea, trembling with indignation.

'Past praying for, madam,' said the reckless wretch, 'for I have the
Plague upon me. I stayed too long up in town, out of love to your friend
and mine. I shall be a dead corpse to-morrow; and why should not you
have the sickness as well as I?'

With that he came towards her, as if to embrace her, when we both
shrieked aloud, and turned to fly; and Matthew Standfast, coming
suddenly between us with a spade uplifted in his hand, bade the
miserable man keep his distance, and asked what he wanted. On which Lacy
said wildly,--

'A grave, man--I want nothing but a grave, and any ditch will furnish me
that,' with which he went away.

Matthew, good man, was troubled when we told him Lacy's words.

'If the wretched fellow have the sickness indeed,' he said, 'he might
die in a ditch for all his own people care;' and that same night he went
to Lacy Manor, inquiring after its master.

It proved that, on leaving the Grange, the man went straight home, and
up-stairs to bed, saying he was weary, and must not be disturbed for an
hour or two; and there he now lay dead. None of the servants had
guessed what ailed him, and they were taken with such a fear they would
not stay to see him buried, but fled, and laid that charge on poor, good
Mr. Stokes, who discharged it with true Christian courage; after which
the Manor was shut up for many a day, till the next heir's covetousness
got the better of his fears. This matter caused great terror; but the
Plague spread no further in our parish, and so the people forgot it
somewhat after a time.

But Althea could not forget Lacy's words about Andrew, nor coul