hardly restrain, broke forth,--

"Kate, Kate, I could not call so base a life worthy of thy
consideration, and I could not grant thee that 'twould sully thy sweet
tongue to barter for."

"Thou art most unrelenting, my lord!" The maid was angry for having
offered her lord the privilege of renewing his suit; which he didn't
seem inclined to do; and finding her pleadings were of no avail, and
being angry and annoyed, she broke into tears, knowing of a certainty
she would now have her way, even though her dignity was lowered.
Cedric could not stand and see her thus; he turned from her
quickly and was about to leave her, when she called to him almost
impatiently,--

"My lord, wilt grant his life until the morrow?" He hesitated, then
turned and bowing low, murmured,

"Until the morrow, Kate," and left the chamber.

CHAPTER IX

SIR JULIAN POMPHREY

"Now time is something to have gained! Janet, thou must go to yonder
monastery and bring a priest to shrive Christopher."

"And how didst thou know Christopher was shriveable?"

"'Tis unseemly of thee to make jest of divine ordinances."

"Nay, I would not jest but know where 'twas thou learnt of his
religion?"

"All of the Catholic faith know one another by intuition; 'tis
God-given."

"Then thou didst also know him to be a rascal?"

"Neither do I know it now. Wilt thou not find some way to bring a
priest hither? Pray, Janet, do; for if I let it go past, 'twill bring
me miserable thoughts and wicked dreams. Janet, thou didst once love
me and hadst a fond way of anticipating my desires; but thou hast on
a sudden forgotten thine whilom usages. Beshrew thee for falling away
from thine old friends and taking up with new ones. Lord Cedric's
nurse watches him from morn until eve and deigns not to cajole him or
win his desires from their natural bent."

"'Tis wisely said; for his desires are inclined in the right
direction. 'Twas but last night when he was well-nigh distraught with
thy absence with the Russian Jew that doth ogle thee, that Angel
brought his riding-cloak and threw it over his shoulders as he tore up
and down his chamber; and she said, lowly,--'Go, my lord, 'twill ease
thy mind to ride,' and he flew to horse. She is ever helping him to
thee."

"And now I would have thee to help me to my lord's good graces and my
desires; but thou art evil bent."

"Nay, my precious Lambkin, if I could I would help thee this night to
the nuptial altar; but as to