d, sent in petitions to be allowed to accompany
him.

"Couldn't be thought of!" was Stephen's decided though good-tempered
answer: and the petitioners succumbed with a look of disappointment.

"I might perchance have taken Gerard," Stephen allowed to his wife, out
of the boy's hearing: "but to tell truth, I'm afraid of Anania's hearing
his name--though, as like as not, she'll question me on the names of all
the children, and who they were called after, and why we selected them,
and if each were your choice or mine."

"Better not, I think," said Ermine, with a smile. "I almost wish I
could be hidden behind a curtain, to hear your talk with her."

Stephen laughed. "Well, I won't deny that I rather enjoy putting spokes
in her wheels," said he.

The next morning he told Odinel to make up his goods, and he would carry
them to Oxford on the following Monday.

Odinel's parcel proved neither bulky nor heavy. Instead of requiring a
sumpter-mule to carry it, it could readily be strapped at the back of
Stephen's saddle, while the still smaller package of his own necessaries
went in front. He set out about four o'clock on a spring morning,
joining himself for the sake of safety to the convoy of travellers who
started from the Black Bull in the Poultry, and arrived at the East Gate
of Oxford before dark, on the Tuesday evening. His first care was to
commit Odinel's goods to the safe care of mine host of the Blue Boar
[Note 4] in Fish Street, as had been arranged. Here he supped on fried
fish, rye bread, and cheese; and having shared the "grace-cup" of a
fellow-traveller, set off for Saint John's anchorhold. A young woman in
semi-conventual dress left the door just as he came up. Stephen doffed
his cap as he asked her--"I pray you, are you the maid of the Lady
Derette?"

"I am," was the reply. "Do you wish speech of her?"

"Would you beseech her to let me have a word with her at the casement?"

The girl turned back into the anchorhold, and the next minute the
casement was opened, and the comely, pleasant face of Derette appeared
behind it. She looked a little older, but otherwise unaltered.

There was nothing unusual in Stephen's request. Anchorites lived on
alms, and were also visited to desire their prayers. The two ideas
likely to occur to the maid as the object of Stephen's visit were
therefore either a present to be offered, or intercession to be asked
and probably purchased.

"Christ save you, Lady!" sa