Lancashire; it is the same everywhere. And all the world knows it, and
thinks that we do contemn her Grace by such boldness. All the mischief
came in with that old Bull, _Regnans in Excelsis_, in '69, and--"

"I beg your pardon, sir," came in a quiet voice from beyond him; and
Robin, looking across, saw Anthony with a face as if frozen.

"Pooh! pooh!" burst out Mr. Thomas, with an uneasy air. "The Holy
Father, I take it, may make mistakes, as I understand it, in such
matters, as well as any man. Why, a dozen priests have said to me they
thought it inopportune; and--"

"I do not permit," said Anthony with an air of dignity beyond his years,
"that any man should speak so in my company."

"Well, well; you are too hot altogether, Mr. Babington. I admire such
zeal indeed, as I do in the saints; but we are not bound to imitate all
that we admire. Say no more, sir; and I will say no more either."

They rode in silence.

It was, indeed, one of those matters that were in dispute at that time
amongst the Catholics. The Pope was not swift enough for some, and too
swift for others. He had thundered too soon, said one party, if, indeed,
it was right to thunder at all, and not to wait in patience till the
Queen's Grace should repent herself; and he had thundered not soon
enough, said the other. Whence it may at least be argued that he had
been exactly opportune. Yet it could not be denied that since the day
when he had declared Elizabeth cut off from the unity of the Church and
her subjects absolved from their allegiance--though never, as some
pretended then and have pretended ever since, that a private person
might kill her and do no wrong--ever since that day her bitterness had
increased yearly against her Catholic people, who desired no better than
to serve both her and their God, if she would but permit that to be
possible.

II

It would be an hour later that they bid good-bye to Mr. Thomas
FitzHerbert, high among the hills to the east of the Derwent river; and
when they had seen him ride off towards Wingerworth, rode yet a few
furlongs together to speak of what had been said.

"He can do nothing, then," said Robin; "not even to give good counsel."

"I have never heard him speak so before," cried Anthony; "he must be
near mad, I think. It must be his marriage, I suppose."

"He is full of his own troubles; that is plain enough, without seeking
others. Well, I must bear mine as best I can."

They were just parting--