God's Word," said Master Richard.

There was laughter at that, and the crowd came nearer again, but the
King did not laugh. He stood still, looking this way and that, now on
Master Richard, and now on the cardinal, who was pulling again at
sleeve. It seemed as if he could not determine what to do.

Then he spoke again.

"Who are you, sir?"

"I am a solitary, named Richard Raynal," said the young man. "I come
from the country, from ... [It is most annoying that the name of the
village is wanting.] Sir John Chaldfield, the parson, will
undertake for me, your grace."

"Is Sir John here?" asked my lord cardinal, smiling at the clerks.

"No, my lord," said Master Richard, "he has his sheep in the wilderness.
He cannot run about to Court."

There was again a noise of laughter and dissent from the crowd of
clerks, and my lord cardinal smiled more than ever, shewing his white
teeth in the midst of his ruddy face.

"This is a witty fellow, your grace," said my lord cardinal aloud to the
King. "Will your grace be pleased to hear him in private?"

The King looked at Master Richard again, as if he knew not what to do.

"Will you not tell us here, sir?" he asked.

"I will not, your grace."

"Have you weapons upon you?" said my lord cardinal, still smiling.

Master Richard pointed to the linen upon his breast.

"I bear wounds, not weapons," he answered; which was a brave and shrewd
answer, and one that would please the King.

His grace smiled a little at that, but the smile passed again like the
sunshine between clouds on a dark and windy day, and the crowd crept up
nearer, so that Master Richard could feel hot breath upon his bare neck
behind. He committed his soul again to our Lady's tuition, for he knew
not what might be the end if he were not heard out.

* * * * *

Well, the end of it was as you know, it was not possible for any man
with a heart in his body to look long upon Master Richard and not love
him, and the King's face grew softer as he looked upon that fair young
man with his nut-brown hair and the clear pallour of his face and his
pure simple eyes, and then at the coarse red faces behind him that crept
up like devils after holy Job. It was not hard to know which was in the
right, and besides the brave words that had stung the clerks to anger
had stung the King to pity and pleasure; so the end was that the guards
were bidden to let Master Richard through, and that he was