the private
staircase which led from her room to the hall. As Richard entered the
hall, Margery softly murmured his name.

"What, Mistress Margery!" he cried, in astonishment. "You here! You
have watched well for the book, and--there it is."

And Richard drew from the bag slung over his shoulder a small quarto
volume.

"Oh, thanks, good Master Pynson, a thousand thanks!" cried Margery, in
delight. "And how long season may I keep the book?"

"Master Carew said," returned Pynson, "that he asked not jewels for the
safe-keeping of the book, for the word of a Lovell was enough," and
Richard drew the necklace from his bosom and handed it to Margery. "He
will lend the book for one month's time. He said, furthermore, that he
lent it, not because he loved it not, but because he prayed that you,
Mistress Margery, might know and love it too."

"Amen!" was Margery's answer, as she folded the book to her bosom, and
crept softly back to her chamber--but not to bed. The first thing she
did was to take off her petticoat and cote-hardie, and to put on a loose
dressing-gown of grey serge. Then she divested herself of her
head-dress, and allowed her fair hair to flow down over her shoulders
without restraint. Having thus rendered herself comfortable, she seated
herself in a carved chair, furnished with an ample cushion, and
proceeded to examine the book.

The book was bound in leather, dark brown in colour, and simple in
workmanship. It was clasped with two small clasps of common metal,
washed over with silver; the leaves were of vellum, and on the first
page was a badly-drawn and violently-coloured illumination of Christ and
the Samaritan woman. Stops (as a rule) it had not, except a full stop
here and there; and capitals there were none, with the occasional
exception of a letter in red ink. Notwithstanding this, the manuscript,
being written in a clear small hand, was very legible to eyes accustomed
to read only black letter. At first Margery felt as if she were doing
wrong in reading the book, but her curiosity drew her on, as well as her
earnest desire to know more of those "strange things" of which Sastre
had spoken in his sermon. Margery had taken the precaution of fastening
the door before she commenced the study of the book. After the first
glance which had made her acquainted with the particulars above noticed,
she opened the book at random near the middle, and her eye fell on the
following words:--

"_Be