--I hear he has been practising with the Holy Maid
and hearkening to her ravings, and that my Lord of Rochester is in it
too. But I am not sure of it."

Cromwell stopped, glanced up at Ralph a moment, and then down again.

"I am not sure of it," he said again, "and I wish to be. And I think you
can help me."

Ralph waited patiently, his heart beginning to quicken. This was a great
matter.

"I wish you to go to him," said his master, "and to get him into talk.
But I do not see how it can be managed."

"He knows I am in your service, sir," suggested Ralph.

"Yes, yes," said Cromwell a little impatiently, "that is it. He is no
fool, and will not talk. This is what I thought of. That you should go
to him from me, and feign that you are on his side in the matter. But
will he believe that?" he ended gloomily, looking at the other
curiously.

There was silence for a minute, while Cromwell drummed his fingers
softly on the table. Then presently Ralph spoke.

"There is this, sir," he said. "I might speak to him about my brother
Chris who, as I told you, has gone to Lewes at the Maid's advice, and
then see what Master More has to say."

Cromwell still looked at him.

"Yes," he said, "that seems reasonable. And for the rest--well, I will
leave that in your hands."

They talked a few minutes longer about Sir Thomas More, and Cromwell
told the other what a quiet life the ex-Chancellor had led since his
resignation of office, of his house at Chelsea, and the like, and of the
decision that he had apparently come to not to mix any further in public
affairs.

"There is thunder in the air," he said, "as you know very well, and
Master More is no mean weather-prophet. He mis-liked the matter of the
Lady Katharine, and Queen Anne is no friend of his. I think he is wise
to be quiet."

Ralph knew perfectly well that this tolerant language did not represent
Cromwell's true attitude towards the man of whom they were speaking, but
he assented to all that was said, and added a word or two about Sir
Thomas More's learning, and of the pleasant manner in which he himself
had been received when he had once had had occasion to see him before.

"He was throwing Horace at me," said the other, with a touch of
bitterness, "the last time that I was there. I do not know which he
loves best, that or his prayers."

Again Ralph recognised an animus. Cromwell had suffered somewhat from
lack of a classical education.

"But it is a good thin