? Then I am worser than thou, which is like enough. I
would not like to hear all my foolish words, all my angry words, all my
sinful words, echoed back to me from the starry walls of heaven. And
suppose, Sissot--only suppose that God should do as much with our
thoughts! I dare say He knows how."

I covered my face with mine hands.

"That would be dreadful!" I whispered.

"It will be, in very deed," softly said Jack, "when the Books are
opened, and the names read out, in the light of that great white Throne
which shall be brighter than noon-day. I reckon in that day we shall
not be hearkening for Sir Piers de Gavaston's name, nor for Sir Hugh Le
Despenser's, but only for those of John and Cicely de Chaucombe. Now,
set again to thy chronicling, my Sissot, and do it in the light of that
Throne, and in the expectation of that Book: so shall it be done well."

And so Jack left me. But to speak sooth, seeing the matter thus makes
me to feel as though I scarce dared do it at all. Howsobe, I have it to
do: and stedfast way maketh stedfast heart.

There were plenty of people who hated Sir Hugh Le Despenser, but I and
my mother Dame Alice were not amongst them. He had been brought up with
the King from his youth, but the King never loved him till after the
death of Sir Piers de Gavaston. The Queen loved him, just so long as
the King did not. That was always her way; the moment that she saw he
cared for anything which was not herself, she at once began to hate it.
And verily he never gave her cause, for he held her ever dearest of any
mortal thing.

Sir Hugh was as goodly a gentleman as man's eyes might see. Those who
loved him not called him proud--yea, the very spirit of pride. But the
manner they thought pride seemed to me rather a kind of sternness or
shortness of speech, as if he wished to have done with the matter in
hand. Some people call every thing pride; if man talk much, they say he
loves to hear his own voice; if he be silent, he despises his company.
Now it seems to me that I often speak and am silent from many other
causes than pride, and therefore it may be the like with other folk. Do
those which are ever accusing other of pride, do all their actions for
that reason? If not so, how or why should they suspect it in other men?
I do not think Sir Hugh was so much prouder than other. He knew his
own value, I dare say; and very like he did not enjoy being set at
nought--who doth so? Other said h