s is the most suitable time at which he could go.'

'Then, madam,' proceeded the lady, 'he will be running about to all the
preachings on every bleak moor and wet morass he can find, catching his
death with rheums, like his poor father.'

There was a general smile, and Sir Marmaduke laughed outright.

'Nay, dame,' he said, 'have you marked such a greed of sermons in our
Berry that you should fear his so untowardly running after them?'

'Tilly-vally, Sir Duke,' quoth Dame Annora, with a flirt of her fan,
learnt at the French court. 'Men will run after a preacher in a marshy
bog out of pure forwardness, when they will nod at a godly homily on a
well-stuffed bench between four walls.'

'I shall commit that matter to Mr. Adderley, who is good enough to
accompany him,' said Lord Walwyn, 'and by whose counsel I trust that he
will steer the middle course between the pope and Calvin.'

Mr. Adderley bowed in answer, saying he hoped that he should be enable
to keep his pupil's mind clear between the allurements of Popery and the
errors of the Reformed; but meanwhile Lady Thistlewood's mind had taken
a leap, and she exclaimed,--

'And, son, whatever you do, bring home the chaplet of pearls! I know
they have set their minds upon it. They wanted me to deck Eustacie with
it on that unlucky bridal-day, but I would not hear of trusting her with
it, and now will it rarely become our Lucy on your real wedding-day.'

'You travel swiftly, daughter,' said Lord Walwyn. 'Nor have we yet heard
the thoughts of one who ever thinks wisely. Sister,' he added, turning
to Cecily St. John, 'hold not you with us in this matter?'

'I scarce comprehend it, my Lord,' was the gentle reply. 'I knew not
that it was possible to dissolve the tie of wedlock.'

'The Pope's decree will suffice,' said Lord Walwyn.

'Yet, sir,' still said the ex-nun, 'methought you had shown me that the
Holly Father exceeded his power in the annulling of vows.'

'Using mine own lessons against me, sweet sister?' said Lord Walwyn,
smiling; 'yet, remember, the contract was rashly made between two
ignorant babes; and, bred up as they have severally been, it were surely
best for them to be set free from vows made without their true will or
knowledge.'

'And yet,' said Cecily, perplexed, 'when I saw my niece here wedded to
Sir Marmaduke, was it not with the words, 'What God hath joined let no
man put asunder'?'

'Good lack! aunt,' cried Lady Thistlewood, 'you would not h