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And when my lord had glimpsed at the papers he did start to his feet, saying, “Where is the man who brought these papers?”

Jock answered him, “He is gone, my lord.”

Then snatching up a flagon of wine that was near at hand, he drank more than half that was in it. And again he turned over the papers in his hand. But all they, my little lady, and Mistress Marian, and your grandfather and grandmother, seemed turned to stone. All at once my little lady started up as from a spell, and went and got her arms about him, as in years gone by when she had hurt him with his own mock sword, and she cried out, “What is it? what is it?” Anon came Mistress Marian to his other side, and looked over his shoulder, while he stood between them like one bewitched, and whiter than a man just dead. When Mistress Marian noted the contents o’ th’ papers, up went her hand to her heart as on that day under the beech-tree, and she caught at his arm to stay herself.

He turned from his wife to her as though for help, saying, “Tell her, tell her, comrade.” And he sank into a chair near by, and dropped down his head into his hand.

Lord! Lord! that was a fearful night! When they made my little lady to understand, she set up one cry after another, each loud enough to pierce the very floor of heaven. Ne’er since have I heard a woman utter such cries as those. And no one but Mistress Marian could in any wise appease her, for she would not have my lord come unto her, but drove him away with waving of her hands, saying, “Thou dost not love me, but the King! thou dost not love me, but the King!”

And when Mistress Marian sought to reason with her, ’twas even the same. Naught could she do but sit and hold her, and comfort her with soft words and noises such as mothers make o’er their young babes. By-and-by she was calmer, and asked to see her lord. So Mistress Marian went out, but I remained on a low stool at the bed’s foot. Lord Ernle entered, and she crept into his arms like a fawn into the hollow of a rock when the hail is falling. And they clung to each other in silence. Presently he saith, “Darling, darling, that I should have brought thee to grief!”

She answered, “Nay, not thou, but God. O love, dost truly think that God is aye a good God?”

And he hushed and soothed her even more tenderly than did Mistress Marian.

Afterwhile she saith, almost in a whisper, “But thou needst not go?”

He said, “Darling, how dost thou mean?”

And she whispered more low and said, “I will go with thee to the new continent to-morrow, and there we can live the rest o’ our days in peace and love.” And she broke out all at once wilder than ever: “Ernle! Ernle! take me! I will go with thee! I will leave father, and mother, and home, and country, and friends, and King for thee! Only go not to war! go not to war!”

He said but two words back of his teeth, “I must!” and then again, ” I must! “

But when he looked at her for answer, lo! she had swooned away.

He was to set forth in two days after the morrow; and on the morning of that day, behold! we could not believe our own eyes for astonishment when we saw the Lady Patience step quietly forth, composed and gentle, though very pale. She saith good-morrow to every one, and after a while she doth slip her arm through her husband’s arm, and saith she, “Come for a walk, Ernle; I have much to say to thee.” So they started forth together. Now I, fearful of many things, did follow at a little distance. As they walked she besought him again that he would take her and set sail for the new continent. And when again he told her how that it could not be, she fell down upon her knees before him, and clasped him with her arms, and she said, “If thou dost not love me, let me be the first to die by thy sword. Slay me, as I kneel, for the love I bear thee.”