's
particular."

"Truth," replied she; "and if I did not verily believe the grace of God
to be in his heart, trust me, Isoult, I would never have him."

"But wilt thou, then, go back to dwell in Spain?"

"God forbid!" cried she, heartily.

"I am afeard, sweet heart," suggested Isoult, "thou shalt find this
country little better. There be nigh every week burnings some whither."

"O Isoult, Isoult!" cried she, vehemently. "There may be any thing of
horrible and evil; but that all were not so much as worthy to be cast
into the scale against the Inquisition!"

"Well," said she, "I have not dwelt there as thou hast; but I have dwelt
here these last three years, the which thou hast not. But who, prithee,
is thy servant [suitor]? He is not in the King's house, trow?"

"No, nor like to be," said Annis. "It is Don Juan de Alameda, brother's
son to Dona Isabel, of whom I writ to thee."

"Thou wrotest marvellous little to me, Annis," said Isoult, smilingly.

"Nay, I writ twice in every year, as I promised," answered she.

"Then know thou," said Isoult, "that I never had those thy letters,
saving two, which were (as I judge) the first thou didst write, and one
other, two years gone or more, writ on the 14th day of August."

"I writ thee three beside them," answered she. "I suppose they were
lost at sea, or maybe they lie in the coffers of the Inquisition. Any
way, let them be now. I thank God I am come safe out of that land,
where, if any whither, Satan hath his throne."

"Then," said Dr Thorpe, who had come in while she was speaking, "he must
have two; for I am assured there is one set up at Westminster, nor is he
oft away from it."

Annis passed the rest of the day with Isoult, and Don Juan came in the
evening to escort her to the inn where she was staying.

"I must needs allow Don Juan a very proper gentleman, and right fair in
his ways; but I would Annis' husband had been an Englishman. I feel not
to trust any Spaniard at all," said Isoult, after Annis was gone.

"Why," said Marguerite Rose, "they are like us women. Some of the good
ones may be very good; but all the bad ones be very bad indeed."

Austin Bernher brought full news of the death of Ridley and Latimer.
Isoult asked especially "if they had great suffering, and if they abode
firm in the truth."

"To the abiding firm," said he, "yea, firm as the Mount Zion, that
standeth fast for ever. For the suffering, it seemed me that my dear
master