though this
time he gives no names."

"All escaped! If my husband were dead, who could not die meanly or
without fame, how could he say that they were all escaped? Nay, nay; he
lives, though who knows if he will return? Perchance he will wander off
elsewhere, or stay and wed again."

"Impossible," said old Jacob, bowing to her; "having called you
wife--impossible."

"Impossible," echoed Emlyn, "having such a score to settle with yonder
Maldon! A man may forget his love, especially if he deems her buried.
But as he stayed foreign to fight the Turk, who wronged him, so he'll
come home to fight the Abbot, who ruined him and slew his bride."

There followed a silence, which the goldsmith, who felt it somewhat
painful, hastened to break, saying--

"Yes, doubtless he will come home; for aught we know he may be here
already. But meanwhile we also have our score against this Abbot, a bad
one, though think not for his sake that all Abbots are bad, for I have
known some who might be counted angels upon earth, and, having gone to
martyrdom, doubtless to-day are angels in heaven. Now, my Lady, I will
tell you what I have done, hoping that it will please you better than
it does me. Last night I saw the Lord Cromwell, with whom I have many
dealings, at his house in Austin Friars, and told him the case, of
which, as I thought, that false villain Legh had said nothing to him,
purposing to pick the plums out of the pudding ere he handed on the suet
to his master. He read your deeds and hunted up some petition from the
Abbot, with which he compared them; then made a note of my demands and
asked straight out--How much?

"I told him L1000 on loan to the King, which would not be asked for back
again, the said loan to be discharged by the grant to me--that is, to
you--of all the Abbey lands, in addition to your own, when the said
Abbey lands are sequestered, as they will be shortly. To this he
agreed, on behalf of his Grace, who needs money much, but inquired as to
himself. I replied L500 for him and his jackals, including Dr. Legh, of
which no account would be asked. He told me it was not enough, for after
the jackals had their pickings nothing would be left for him but the
bones; I, who asked so much, must offer more, and he made as though to
dismiss me. At the door I turned and said I had a wonderful pink pearl
that he, who loved jewels, might like to see--a pink pearl worth many
abbeys. He said, 'Show it;' and, oh! he gloated over