ay up one of the side stairs into the open gallery,
where he presently opened a door, admitting to a small, though high
chamber, the walls of bare brick, and containing a low bed, a small
table, a three-legged stool, a big chest, and two cupboards, also a
cross over the head of the bed. A private room was a luxury neither
possessed nor desired by most persons of any degree, and only enjoyed by
Tibble in consideration of his great value to his master, his peculiar
tastes, and the injuries he had received. In point of fact, his fall
had been owing to a hasty blow, given in a passion by the master himself
when a young man. Dismay and repentance had made Giles Headley a cooler
and more self-controlled man ever since, and even if Tibble had not been
a superior workman, he might still have been free to do almost anything
he chose. Tibble gave his visitor the stool, and himself sat down on
the chest, saying: "So you have found your uncle, sir."

"Ay," said Ambrose, pausing in some expectation that Tibble would
mention some suspicion of his identity; but if the foreman had his ideas
on the subject he did not disclose them, and waited for more
communications.

"Tibble!" said Ambrose, with a long gasp, "I must find means to hear
more of him thou tookedst me to on Sunday."

"None ever truly tasted of that well without longing to come back to
it," quoth Tibble. "But hath not thy kinsman done aught for thee?"

"Nay," said Ambrose, "save to offer me a lodging with his wife, a good
and kindly lavender at the Temple."

Tibble nodded.

"So far am I free," said Ambrose, "and I am glad of it. I have a letter
here to one of the canons, one Master Alworthy, but ere I seek him I
would know somewhat from thee, Tibble. What like is he?"

"I cannot tell, sir," said Tibble. "The canons are rich and many, and a
poor smith like me wots little of their fashions."

"Is it true," again asked Ambrose, "that the Dean--he who spake those
words yesterday--hath a school here for young boys?"

"Ay. And a good and mild school it be, bringing them up in the name and
nurture of the Holy Child Jesus, to whom it is dedicated."

"Then they are taught this same doctrine?"

"I trow they be. They say the Dean loves them like the children of his
old age, and declares that they shall be made in love with holy lore by
gentleness rather than severity."

"Is it likely that this same Alworthy could obtain me entrance there?"

"Alack, sir, I fear