ight a warning had been conveyed to the
authorities that the Queen was offended with this representation of her
father, and the Bible was painted out so hastily that the hand of the
figure was partly obliterated with it.

When the pageant had gone by, and the crowd had sufficiently dispersed,
John Laurence and Agnes set out for their walk to Clerkenwell. They
found a shady field, in a corner of which they sat down, and the Friar
drew from his pocket a Latin Psalter,--the only form of the Bible with
which it was then safe to be caught. From this he read to Agnes the
hundred and seventh Psalm, translating it as he went on into the only
tongue she knew.

"And He led them forth by the right way, that they might go to the City
of Habitation."

He paused at that seventh verse, and half closing the book, sat looking
thoughtfully into the blue heaven.

Very vaguely did Agnes enter into his deeper thoughts. Her ideas
concerning public events, and possible future dangers, were of a very
misty description. She kept silent a moment. Then, when he did not
speak, she said--

"Well, John?"

"By the right way!" he said dreamily, rather as if speaking to himself
than to her. "And He leads them, too, _inportum voluntatis eorum_--to
the haven of their desire."

"That is, Heaven?" said Agnes questioningly. Her admiration for his
knowledge and wisdom was high.

"That is Heaven," he replied in the same tone as before.

"John, what thinkest Heaven shall be like?"

"Like God!" said the Black Friar slowly. "Therefore, glorious--
wonderful--perfect in every part--holy--satisfying."

"And right fair and beauteous, doubtless," she added, by way of
completing the picture.

"That which is perfect must be fair," said John Laurence. "He saith to
His Church, `Thou art all fair, My love, and a stain is not in thee.'
That is, to thee, and me, Agnes."

"To _me_?" she repeated, in an awe-struck voice. "Nay, how so, trow? I
am all o'er a stain with my sins."

The answer was in inspired words. "`For perfect wert thou, in My beauty
which I put upon thee, saith the Lord God.'"

Agnes sat still, trying to take in the idea.

"Hear yet again another His saying to the Church: `Thou hast wounded
Mine heart, My sister-spouse; thou hast wounded Mine heart in one of
thine eyes, and in one chain of thy neck.' Now what is the eye?--is it
not a member of the body? Doth not this learn us that every one of
Christ's members hath his prope