he Master,
whereunto I go. Bid them come to me; I only pass on a few moments
before them. We shall meet at Home."

"God bless Austin Bernher! He is a Barnabas unto us all--the very son
of consolation." So wrote Isoult in her diary--and well she might.
During the progress of the Marian persecution, no man was more blessed
by the victims and mourners than Austin.

Austin came again, four days later, with yet further bad news. Bishop
Bonner had sent his sumner to lay hands upon Mr Holland's shop and
goods, and Mrs Holland had suffered some ill usage, because she could
not, or would not, tell where her husband was gone. They had not,
however, apprehended her; and for Mr Holland, who was expected to return
to London that week, Austin was on the look-out.

"Isoult," said her husband to her that night, "when this befell, I was
about to tell thee that methought I had now laid up a sufficiency of
money for our returning to Bradmond. What sayest thou?"

"O Jack! how can we?" cried Isoult. "Could we leave Robin in prison?
and could we either forsake Mrs Rose and Thekla in their extremity, or
carry them with us into Cornwall? But what is thine own thought?"

"Truly, dear heart," he answered, "my thought is that the Lord hath
spoken to us reasonable plain, and hath said, `Tarry where ye are until
I bring you word again.'"

"Yes," said she after a pause; "I think we must."

"And take for thy comfort, sweeting," said he tenderly, "one word that
hath been much laid upon mine heart of late: `I know where thou
dwellest, even where Satan's seat is.' God's letters be never wrong
directed."

On the 10th of January, Austin came again, and brought some notes of Mr
Rose's examination before Gardiner. It was plain that Mr Rose had stood
forth boldly, and braved the Bishop to his face.

"I wonder, my Lord," said he, "that I should be troubled for that which
by the Word of God hath been established, and by the laws of this realm
hath been allowed, and by your own writing, so notably in your book _De
Vera Obedientia_, confirmed."

"Ah sirrah, hast thou gotten that?" said the Bishop, who now could not
bear to hear of his heretical work.

"Yea, my Lord," calmly answered Mr Rose, "and do confess myself thereby
confirmed."

"But," continued Austin, "have you heard that my Lady of Suffolk's Grace
is clean escaped?"

"O Austin!" cried Isoult, "tell us all you know touching her."

"Why," said he, "it should seem to have been