oppressions to which men and women are subjected for the
faith's sake in France and Holland, I feel that we, who are happily
able to worship in peace and quiet, ought to hesitate at no
sacrifice on their behalf; and moreover, seeing that, owing to my
affliction, he owes what he is rather to his mother and you than to
me, I think your wish that he should make the acquaintance of his
kinsfolk in France is a natural one. I have no wish for the lad to
become a courtier, English or French; nor that he should, as
Englishmen have done before now in foreign armies, gain great
honour and reputation; but if it is his wish to fight on behalf of
the persecuted people of God, whether in France or in Holland, he
will do so with my heartiest goodwill; and if he die, he could not
die in a more glorious cause.

"Let us talk of other matters now, Gaspard. This is one that needs
thought before more words are spoken."

Two days later, John Fletcher had a long talk with Phil. The latter
was delighted when he heard the project, which was greatly in
accord with both sides of his character. As an English lad, he
looked forward eagerly to adventure and peril; as French and of the
reformed religion, he was rejoiced at the thought of fighting with
the Huguenots against their persecutors, and of serving under the
men with whose names and reputations he was so familiar.

"I do not know your uncle's plans for you, as yet, Phil," his
father said. "He went not into such matters, leaving these to be
talked over after it had been settled whether his offer should be
accepted or not. He purposes well by you, and regards you as his
heir. He has already bought Blunt and Mardyke's farms, and purposes
to buy other parts of the estates of Sir James Holford, as they may
slip through the knight's fingers at the gambling table. Therefore,
in time, you will become a person of standing in the county; and
although I care little for these things now, Phil, yet I should
like you to be somewhat more than a mere squire; and if you serve
for a while under such great captains as Coligny and Conde, it will
give you reputation and weight.

"Your good uncle and his friends think little of such matters, but
I own that I am not uninfluenced by them. Coligny, for example, is
a man whom all honour; and that honour is not altogether because he
is leader of the reformed faith, but because he is a great soldier.
I do not think that honour and reputation are to be despised.
Do