randt began to fail. His pitiable existence had been
sweetened by his brother's inventive tenderness and his own contented
spirit, which, his antecedents considered, was truly remarkable, As for
Gerard, the day never passed that he did not devote two hours to him;
reading or singing to him, praying with him, and drawing him about in a
soft carriage Margaret and he had made between them. When the poor soul
found his end near, he begged Margaret might be sent for. She came
at once, and almost with his last breath he sought once more that
forgiveness she had long ago accorded. She remained by him till the
last; and he died, blessing and blessed, in the arms of the two true
lovers he had parted for life. Tantum religio scit suadere boni.

1474 there was a wedding in Margaret's house, Luke Peterson and Reicht
Heynes.

This may seem less strange if I give the purport of the dialogue
interrupted some time back.

Margaret went on to say, "Then in that case you can easily make him
fancy you, and for my sake you must, for my conscience it pricketh me,
and I must needs fit him with a wife, the best I know." Margaret then
instructed Reicht to be always kind and good-humoured to Luke; and she
would be a model of peevishness to him, "But be not thou so simple as
run me down," said she, "Leave that to me. Make thou excuses for me; I
will make myself black enow."

Reicht received these instructions like an order to sweep a room, and
obeyed them punctually.

When they had subjected poor Luke to this double artillery for a couple
of years, he got to look upon Margaret as his fog and wind, and Reicht
as his sunshine; and his affections transferred themselves, he scarce
knew how or when.

On the wedding day Reicht embraced Margaret, and thanked her almost
with tears. "He was always my fancy," said she, "from the first hour I
clapped eyes on him."

"Heyday, you never told me that. What, Reicht, are you as sly as the
rest?"

"Nay, nay," said Reicht eagerly; "but I never thought you would really
part with him to me. In my country the mistress looks to be served
before the maid."

Margaret settled them in her shop, and gave them half the profits.

1476 and 7 were years of great trouble to Gerard, whose conscience
compelled him to oppose the Pope. His Holiness, siding with the Grey
Friars in their determination to swamp every palpable distinction
between the Virgin Mary and her Son, bribed the Christian world into his
crotchet by