few words were exchanged with him, but it was plain
that the dying man could not be moved, and that his confession must be
made on the lap of the young girl. Colet knelt over him so as to be
able to hear, while Lucas and Ambrose withdrew, but were soon called
back for the remainder of the service for the dying. The old man's face
showed perfect peace. All worldly thought and care seemed to have been
crushed out of him by the blow, and he did not even appear to think of
the unprotected state of his daughter, although he blessed her with
solemn fervour immediately after receiving the Viaticum--then lay
murmuring to himself sentences which Ambrose, who had learnt much from
him, knew to be from his Arabic breviary about palm-branches, and the
twelve manner of fruits of the Tree of Life.

It was a strange scene--the grand, calm, patriarchal old man, so
peaceful on his dark-haired daughter's lap in the midst of the shattered
home in the old feudal stable. All were silent a while in awe, but the
Dean was the first to move and speak, calling Lucas forward to ask
sundry questions of him.

"Is there no good woman," he asked, "who could be with this poor child
and take her home, when her father shall have passed away?"

"Mine uncle's wife, sir," said Ambrose, a little doubtfully. "I trow
she would come--since I can certify her that your reverence holds him
for a holy man."

"I had thy word for it," said the Dean. "Ah! reply not, my son, I see
well how it may be with you here. But tell those who will take the word
of John Colet that never did I mark the passing away of one who had
borne more for the true holy Catholic faith, nor held it more to his
soul's comfort."

For the Dean, a man of vivid intelligence, knew enough of the Moresco
persecutions to be able to gather from the words of Lucas and Ambrose,
and the confession of the old man himself, a far more correct estimate
of Abenali's sufferings, and constancy to the truth, than any of the
more homebred wits could have divined. He knew, too, that his own
orthodoxy was so called in question by the narrower and more unspiritual
section of the clergy that only the appreciative friendship of the King
and the Cardinal kept him securely in his position.

Ambrose sped away, knowing that Perronel would be quite satisfied. He
was sure of her ready compassion and good-will, but she had so often
bewailed his running after learning and possibly heretical doctrine,
that he had