im; for she saw that his thoughts were at Bow Church, not occupied with
the copy of Latimer's sermon on the Plough, which lay open before him.

At last John came, with a slow, even step, from which his wife augured
ill before he entered the room. He smiled when he saw Robin still
there.

"Ill news, Father!" said Robin. "You need not to tell me."

"Thou art a sely prophet, lad," answered John, kindly. "At this time I
have no news at all for thee, neither good nor ill, only that Mr Rose
giveth no absolute nay, and doth but undertake to think upon the matter,
and discourse with Mrs Rose. Is that such ill news, trow?"

"Thank you," answered Robin in a low voice. "You did your best, I know.
Good-night."

And he lifted his candle and departed. But Isoult thought the lad
looked sad and disappointed; and she was sorry for him.

"Well, Jack, how spedst thou?" said she, when Robin was gone.

"Ah, grandmother Eva!" replied Jack, smiling. "Wouldst know all?"

"Now, Jack!" said she, "flout me not for my womanly curiosity, but tell
me. I am but a woman."

"Pure truth, dear heart," answered he, yet smiling. "Well, I had to
await a short space, for I found Thekla with her father, and I could not
open the matter afore her. So at last I prayed her of leave [asked her
to go] (seeing no other way to be rid of her), for I would speak with Mr
Rose privily. Then went she presently away, and I brake Robin's
matter."

"And what said he?"

"He looked more amazed than thou; and trust me that was no little."

"But what said he?" repeated Isoult.

"He said he had never thought touching the marriage of Thekla, for he
looked thereon until now as a thing afar off, like as we of Robin. But
(quoth he) he did suppose in all likelihood she should leave him
sometime, if God willed it thus; but it should be sore when it came.
And the water stood in his eyes."

"Looked he thereon kindly or no, thinkest?"

"I am somewhat doubtful," and John dropped his voice, "though I would
not say so much to Robin, whether or no he looketh kindly on her
marrying at all. Thou wist, sweet heart, for thou heardst him to say so
much,--that he hath some thought that there shall yet be great
persecution in this land, and that Gospellers shall (in a worldly and
temporal sense) come but ill off. And to have Thekla wife unto a
priest--I might see it liked him very evil for her sake. Yet he
dimitted it not lightly, but passed word to talk it over with