emselves for the
contradictions either of priests or critics. "For the world passeth
away, and the lust thereof"--the pleasures, the opinions, the prejudices
of the world--"but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."

The times of Henry Second knew neither post-offices nor carriers. When
a man wanted to send a parcel anywhere, he was obliged to carry it
himself or send a servant to do so, if he could not find some
acquaintance journeying in that direction who would save him the
trouble.

A few weeks after Stephen had come to the conclusion that he could not
take Ermine to Oxford, he was passing down Bread Street to his shop
early one morning, when Odinel hailed him from the door.

"Hi, Stephen! Just turn in here a minute, will you?--you don't happen
to be going or sending up into the shires, do you, these next few days?"

"Which of the shires?" inquired Stephen, without committing himself.

"Well, it's Abingdon I want to send to--but if I could get my goods
carried as far as Wallingford, I dare say I could make shift to have
them forwarded."

"Would Oxford suit you equally well?"

"Ay, as well or better."

Stephen stood softly whistling for a moment. He might work the two
things together--might at least pay a visit to Derette, and learn from
her how far it was safe to go on. He felt that Anania was the chief
danger; Osbert would placidly accept as much or as little as he chose to
tell, and Isel, if she asked questions, might be easily turned aside
from the path. Could he be sure that Anania was out of the way, he
thought he would not hesitate to go himself, though he no longer dared
to contemplate taking Ermine.

"Well, I might, mayhap, be going in that direction afore long,--I can't
just say till I see how things shape themselves. If I can, I'll let you
know in a few days."

"All right! I'm in no hurry to a week or two."

Stephen meditated on the subject in the intervals of superintendence of
his oven, and serving out wassel and cocket, with the result that when
evening came, he was almost determined to go, if Ermine found no good
reasons to the contrary. He consulted her when he went home, for she
was not at the shop that day. She looked grave at first, but her
confidence in Stephen's discretion was great, and she made no serious
objection. No sooner, however, did the children hear of such a
possibility as their father's visiting the country, than they all, down
to three-year-old Edil