aterpillar existence ceased
to canker the worshipful matron's public life, and the grim eyes of the
past to cast malignant glances down into a white hind's clover field.

Total. She made the landlord an average wife, and a prime house-dog, and
outlived everybody.

Her troops, when they returned from executing with mediaeval naivete
the precept, "Off wi' the auld love," received a shock. They found
the market-place black with groups; it had been empty an hour ago.
Conscience smote them. This came of meddling with the dead. However, the
bolder of the two, encouraged by the darkness, stole forward alone, and
slily mingled with a group: he soon returned to his companion, saying,
in a tone of reproach not strictly reasonable,

"Ye born fool, it is only a miracle."

CHAPTER XLII

Letters of fire on the church wall had just inquired, with an appearance
of genuine curiosity, why there was no mass for the duke in this time of
trouble. The supernatural expostulation had been seen by many, and had
gradually faded, leaving the spectators glued there gaping. The upshot
was, that the corporation, not choosing to be behind the angelic powers
in loyalty to a temporal sovereign, invested freely in masses. By this
an old friend of ours, the cure, profited in hard cash; for which he had
a very pretty taste. But for this I would not of course have detained
you over so trite an occurrence as a miracle.

Denys begged for his arms. "Why disgrace him as well as break his
heart?"

"Then swear on the cross of thy sword not to leave the bastard's service
until the sedition shall be put down." He yielded to necessity, and
delivered three volleys of oaths, and recovered his arms and liberty.

The troops halted at "The Three Fish," and Marion at sight of him cried
out, "I'm out of luck; who would have thought to see you again?" Then
seeing he was sad, and rather hurt than amused at this blunt jest, she
asked him what was amiss? He told her. She took a bright view of the
case. Gerard was too handsome and well-behaved to come to harm. The
women too would always be on his side. Moreover, it was clear that
things must either go well or ill with him. In the former case he would
strike in with some good company going to Rome; in the latter he would
return home, perhaps be there before his friend; "for you have a trifle
of fighting to do in Flanders by all accounts." She then brought him
his gold pieces, and steadily refused to accept one, t