ttlements full of angry Moors, not far behind the Emperor's."

"You would? And be secret? Then indeed nought would be overmuch for
you. And this very night--"

"The sooner the better."

She not only clasped his hand in thanks, but let him raise her face to
his, and take the reward he felt his due. Then she said she must
return, but Ambrose would bring him all particulars. Ambrose was as
anxious as herself and her mistress that the thing should be done, but
was unfit by all his habits, and his dainty, scholarly niceness, to
render such effectual assistance as the soldier could do. Giles offered
to scale the gate by night himself carry off the head, and take it to
any place Mrs Roper might appoint, with no assistance save such as
Ambrose could afford. Aldonza shuddered a little at this, proving that
her heart had gone out to him already, but with this he had to be
contented, for she went back into the house, and he saw her no more.
Ambrose came back to him, and, with something more like cheerfulness
than he had yet seen, said, "Thou art happy, Giles."

"More happy than I durst hope--to find her--"

"Tush! I meant not that. But to be able to do the work of the holy
ones of old who gathered the remnants of the martyrs, while I have
indeed the will, but am but a poor craven! It is gone nearer to comfort
that sad-hearted lady than aught else."

It appeared that Mrs Roper would not be satisfied unless she herself
were present at the undertaking, and this was contrary to the views of
Giles, who thought the further off women were in such a matter the
better. There was a watch at the outer entrance of London Bridge, the
trainbands taking turns to supply it, but it was known by experience
that they did not think it necessary to keep awake after belated
travellers had ceased to come in; and Sir Thomas More's head was set
over the opposite gateway, looking inwards at the City. The most
suitable hour would be between one and two o'clock, when no one would be
stirring, and the summer night would be at the shortest. Mrs Roper was
exceedingly anxious to implicate no one, and to prevent her husband and
brother from having any knowledge of an act that William Roper might
have prohibited, as if she could not absolutely exculpate him, it might
be fatal to him. She would therefore allow no one to assist save
Ambrose, and a few more devoted old servants, of condition too low for
anger to be likely to light upon them. She