repeat them to thee, if thou ask her--so
long as we are here."

"Osbert says you won't be for long. He thinks you are bad people; I
don't know why."

"Nor do I, seeing we serve God--save that the enemy of God and men
spreads abroad falsehoods against us."

They had reached the little postern of the Castle. Gerhardt rapped at
the door, and after two or three repetitions, it was opened.

"Oh, it's you, is it?" said Stephen's voice behind it. "Get you in
quickly, Leuesa, for Hagena's in a terrible tantrum. She declares
you've run away."

"I'm late, I know," answered Leuesa humbly; "but I could not help it,
Stephen."

"Well, you'll catch it, I can tell you; and the longer you stay, the
more you'll catch: so best get it over.--Gerard, will you come in? I
want a word with you."

Gerhardt stepped inside the postern, and Stephen beckoned him into an
outhouse, at the moment untenanted.

"What are you going to do?"

"About what?"

"What! Don't you know you are to be haled before the Bishops? Every
body else does."

"Yes, I have been told so."

"Are you going to wait for them?" demanded Stephen, with several notes
of astonishment in his voice.

"I am going to wait for the Lord."

"You'll be a fool if you do!" The tone was compassionate, though the
words were rough.

"Never. `They shall not be ashamed that wait for Him.'"

"Do you expect Him to come down from Heaven to save you from the
Bishops?"

"As He pleases," said Gerhardt quietly.

"But, man!--if you are a man, and not a stone--don't you know that the
Church has authority from God to bind and loose--that her sentence is
His also?"

"Your Church has no jurisdiction over mine."

"My Church, forsooth! I am speaking of the Catholic Church, which has
authority over every Christian on earth."

"Where is it?"

"Every where."

"The Church that is every where consists of faithful souls, elect of
God. That Church will not condemn me for being faithful to the Word of
God."

"Oh, I can't split straws like you, nor preach like a doctor of the
schools either. But one thing I can do, and that is to say, Gerard, you
are in danger--much more danger than the rest. Get away while you can,
and leave them to meet it. They won't do half so much to them as to
you."

"`He that is an hireling, when he seeth the wolf coming, leaveth the
sheep and fleeth; and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.'
Is that conduct you recommend, Stephen?"