ult rose to depart. Mr
Rose said he would help her to mount, and she fancied that he wished to
speak with her in private. And so she found it; for no sooner had he
shut the door, than he said--

"Mrs Avery, what do you touching Robin's orders?"

Isoult replied as she had done to Mrs Underhill, and added that she
meant to talk the matter over with John, when she could do so quietly.
"But, Mr Rose," she said, "your three years be already gone."

"Friend," he answered, his lip quivering, "had I made it three hundred
years, maybe it had been the better."

"I pray you say not that you will not give her unto him!" cried Isoult--
for she guessed what that would be to Robin, and perchance to Thekla.

"I will say no such thing," he answered. "It should seem that Robin's
orders can now scarce be had; and if it were so, I tell you the truth,
mine heart were the lighter. Thekla must choose for herself. She is
now of ripe age to _know_ what is for and against the same; and if she
would have rather Robin and what may hap than to leave both, I will not
gainsay her choice. But if she seeketh mine avisement--"

"You will say her nay?" asked Isoult, fearfully, as he hesitated.

"Can I say any thing else?" answered Mr Rose in a low voice. "Were it
worse for Thekla to be let from wedding him, or to be roughly parted
from him ere they had been wed a year--perchance a month? If Robin
should choose not to endeavour himself for the priesthood, then of force
is there no such difficulty. But can I look forward to the parting that
must ere long come between my Marguerite and me, and lightly choose the
same doom for our child?"

Mr Rose's voice fell, and his face changed so painfully that the
listener could scarcely bear to see it.

"Think you that must come?" she said in a voice hardly above a whisper.

"It must come, if the Queen continue as she hath begun," answered he, in
a low voice. "It may not be for long, if the Lord only try us, to
humble us, and to prove us, whether we will keep His commandments or no:
it may be for all this life. Beyond this life, it cannot be. The keys
of Heaven and earth are in the hands of Jesus Christ, not in those of
Mary Tudor!"

No more was said for that time. The friends clasped hands and parted.

But when Isoult and John had their quiet talk together, she found that
he had already been thinking on the subject; and had conversed with
Robin.

"I did somewhat marvel," she admitted, "see