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“Even so. I am come to persuade thee that thou wilt not go on the errand thou wottest of two nights hence. There are those who do mean thee death. It is certain that thy life is plotted against. Surely thou wilt be warned?” And as I looked, the color left the lad’s face, and he grew white as any woman. Almost I could have sworn it was my lady’s face. Line for line, eyelash for eyelash, look for look. And methought no mother’s heart e’er yearned towards her new-born babe as yearned my heart towards the youth. It seemed as though I must cry out to him. To see him thus after five weary years; to be so near him, and yet unable to touch even the latchet of his shoes, or to hear his voice calling my name. I trembled and was blind with longing. When at last I did look up, he said again, “Surely, thou wilt be advised?”

The earl leaned with his forehead set in his clasped hands, and by-and-by he said,

“It is impossible. Would that I could!”

And the lad said,

“Nay, it is not impossible. Thou canst save thine own life with a word.”

And Lord Denbeigh answered him:

“My life is not worth even a word,” and he did not lift up his forehead from his hands.

Then said my master, “Thy life may be worth less than naught to thee, but to others its price is above their own.” And again he was as pale as any girl.

And he spoke again and said, “Thou wilt not go? Thou wilt be warned?”

And again did the man answer, saying, “Impossible.”

Then saith my master,

“Lord Denbeigh, if thou goest to London on the morrow, I will follow thee there. Nay, thou canst not prevent me. And think you my sister’s heart will be warmer towards thee if her brother’s blood be spilled at thy behest?”

And the earl sat with his stern eyes on the lad, and he said,

“Thy blood will ne’er be spent at my behest. I do forbid thee to follow me.”

And the lad said,

“I am not to be forbidden.” So they stood and looked at one another. And all at once the boy put out his hand (’twas my lady’s very gesture) and took the earl’s sleeve, and saith he in a gentle voice,

“Thou wert a man after God’s own heart did not thou let Satan consort with thee.”

Then turned Lord Denbeigh with a laugh that was not merry. And he saith,

“As thou quotest Scripture to me, select thy texts with greater care. Even to my mind there doth come one more suiting; for even as Job, ‘I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.'”

Then saith the lad, still with his hand on the man’s arm,

“Is it not the more to thy discredit that thou, who couldst be brother to Christ, do make brothers of dragons? Verily, my lord, I am bold through my sister, for methinks it is thus that she would have answered thee.”

And the man turned away as though to hide his face.

III.

Lord Robert spoke with Lord Denbeigh at some length, but he was not to be turned from his purpose (which, methought, must be a very strange and grewsome one, judging by their words). So finally they went out separately, and I got me back to Amhurste.

The next morning I did relate to my lady all that had passed, but mentioning no names, as I saw that she wished it not. And when I was finished she bade me go straightway to London and find out the whereabouts of Lord Denbeigh. Moreover, she told me that she herself would be there shortly with Marian, and that they two would lodge at the house of Marian’s aunt, one Mistress Pepper, a linen-draper’s wife. At this I wondered greatly, the more that she should keep silent concerning her brother than that she should follow him to London. And all that I could think was that Lord Robert was in some dire conspiracy, likewise the earl, and that she feared for the lives of one or both. So we all go to London, I earlier than my lady and Marian.