ay from Booth's Edge, in
fact, for nearly a month, and had scarcely even asked on his return last
Saturday to Padley, whether any message had come. Why, it was
complete--complete and irresistible! She would burn the letter here in
this hall-fire when the man was gone again; and say to Janet that the
letter had been from a travelling priest that was in trouble, and that
she had sent the answer. And Robin would presently cease to look for
news, and the end would come, and there would be no more trouble.)

"Do you know what is in the letter?" she whispered sharply. ("Sit down
again and go on eating.")

He obeyed her.

"Yes, mistress," he said. "The priest was taken from her on Saturday.
Mr. Bourgoign had arranged all in readiness for that."

"You said Mr. Melville."

"Mr. Melville is a Protestant, mistress; but he is very well devoted to
her Grace, and has done as Mr. Bourgoign wished."

"Why must her Grace have a priest at once? Surely for a few days--"

He glanced up at her, and she, conscious of her own falseness, thought
he looked astonished.

"I mean that they will surely give her her priest back, again presently;
and"--(her voice faltered)--"and Mr. Alban is spent with his
travelling."

"They mean to kill her, mistress. There is no doubt of it amongst those
of us that are Catholics. And it is that she may have a priest before
she dies, that--"

He paused.

"Yes?" she said.

"Her Grace had a fit of crying, it is said, when her priest was taken
from her. Mr. Melville was crying himself, even though--"

He stopped, himself plainly affected.

* * * * *

Then, in a great surge, her own heart rose up, and she understood what
she was doing. As in a vision, she saw her own mother crying out for the
priest that never came; and she understood that horror of darkness that
falls on one who, knowing what the priest can do, knowing the infinite
consolations which Christ gives, is deprived, when physical death
approaches, of that tremendous strength and comfort. Indeed, she
recognised to the full that when a priest cannot be had, God will save
and forgive without him; yet what would be the heartlessness, to say
nothing of the guilt, of one that would keep him away? For what, except
that this strength and comfort might be at the service of Christ's
flock, had her own life been spent? It was expressly for this that she
had lived on in England when peace and the cloister might be hers