laves ever you
saw out of two honest swashbucklers. I be the ironing ruffian, t' other
washes."

"What next?

"What next? why, whenever the brat is in the world I shall rock cradle,
and t' other knave will wash tucker and bib. So, then, I'll go fetch
the letter on the instant. Ye will let me bide and hear it read, will ye
not?"

"Else our hearts were black as coal," said Catherine.

So Denys went for the letter. He came back crestfallen. "She will not
let it out of her hand neither to me nor you, nor any he or she that
lives."

"I knew she would not," said Cornelis.

"Whisht! whisht!" said Eli, "and let Denys tell his story."

"'Nay,' said I, 'but be ruled by me.' 'Not I,' quoth she. 'Well, but,'
quoth I, 'that same honey Obedience ye spake of.' 'You are a fool,' says
she; 'obedience to Gerard is sweet, but obedience to any other body, who
ever said that was sweet?'

"At last she seemed to soften a bit, and did give me a written paper for
you, mademoiselle. Here 'tis."

"For me?" said little Kate, colouring.

"Give that here!" said Eli, and he scanned the writing, and said almost
in a whisper, "These be words from the letter Hearken!

"'And, sweetheart, an if these lines should travel safe to thee, make
thou trial of my people's hearts withal. Maybe they are somewhat turned
towards me, being far away. If 'tis so they will show it to thee, since
now to me they may not. Read, then, this letter! But I do strictly
forbid thee to let it from thy hand; and if they still hold aloof from
thee, why, then say nought, but let them think me dead. Obey me in
this; for, if thou dost disrespect my judgment and my will in this, thou
lovest me not.'"

There was a silence, and Gerard's words copied by Margaret here handed
round and inspected.

"Well," said Catherine, "that is another matter. But methinks 'tis for
her to come to us, not we to her."

"Alas, mother! what odds does that make?"

"Much," said Eli. "Tell her we are over many to come to her, and bid her
hither, the sooner the better."

When Denys was gone, Eli owned it was a bitter pill to him.

"When that lass shall cross my threshold, all the mischief and misery
she hath made here will seem to come in adoors in one heap. But what
could I do, wife? We must hear the news of Gerard. I saw that in thine
eyes, and felt it in my own heart. And she is backed by our undutiful
but still beloved son, and so is she stronger than we, and brings our
noses down to th