e had references to look up in London, and divines to consult as to difficult points in his book on the Eucharist; and this was a favourable opportunity to see Mr. Dering, the St. Paul's le

with their iron-work signs, leaning forward as if to whisper to one another, leaving strips of sky overhead; the strange play of lights and shades after nightfall; the fantastic groups; th

ddy-faced Alderman with his fresh budget of news of the north;-Lords Northumberland and Westmoreland with a Catholic force of several thousands, among which were two cousins of Mrs. Marrett herself-and the old lady nodded her head dolorously in corroboration-had marched southwards under the Banner of the Five Wounds, and tramped through Durham City welcomed by h

was about to send ships to Hartlepool to help the rebels; Mary Stuart would certainly be rescued from her prison at Tutbury. Then Mary h

d Pembroke was gathering forces at Windsor; Lords Clinton, Hereford and Warwick were converging towards York to relieve the siege. And as if to show Isabel it was not a mere romance, sh

Isabel was home again. Green after green of the windy northern villages was made hideous by the hanging bodies of

and the call to fight for the faith, the Catholics had h

pausing with her father before they went in to see the new restorations and the truncated steeple struck by lig

somewhat elaborate and sensuous mode of honouring God, yet to Isabel was a first glimpse of what the mystery of worship meant. The dim towering arches, through which the dusty richly-stained sunbeams poured, the far-away murmurous melodies that floated down from the glimmering choir, the high thin pealing organ, all combined to give her a sense of the unfathomable depths of the Divine Majesty-an element that was lacking in the clear-cut personal Puritan creed, in spite of the tender associations that made it fragrant for her,

father observed her quietly and interestedly as they went home together, but said nothing beyond an indifferent word or two. He was beginning to realise the serious reality of her spiritu

they were oracles, and she needed little encouragement to pour them out in profusion. She was especially generous with her tales of portents and warnings; and the girl wa

copes and the altar-cloths that they made into dresses for the ministers' new wives, and bed-quilts to cover them; and there were books and banners and sepulchres

it, for the windows had ceased rattling, and the dust was quiet in the streets; and still it came on quickly, growing as it came; and then there came a far-away sound, like a heavy waggon, or, some said, like a deep voice complaining. And I turned away from the window afraid; and there was the cat, that had been on a chair, down in the corner, with her back up, staring at the cloud: and then she began to run round the room like a mad thing, and presently whisked out of the door when I opened it. And I went to find Mr. Marrett, and he had not come in, and all the yard was quiet. I could only hear a horse stamp once or twice in the stable. And then as I saw calling out for some one to come, the storm broke, and the sky was all one dark cloud from side to side. For three hours it went on, rolling and clapping, and the li

d the dark old room, so awful were Mrs. Marrett's face

hands on the monasteries he should be as Ahab whose blood was licked by dogs in the very place which he took from a man. Well, the friar was hanged for his pains, and the King lived. And then at last he died, and was put in a great coffin, and carried through London; and they put the coffin in an open space in Sion Abbey, which the King had taken. And in the night there came one to view the coffin, and to see that all was well. And he came round the corner, and there stood the great coffin-(for his Grace was a great

abruptly. Isabel wa

am a foolish old woman;

forget these horrors; and so she told her old tales of her youth, and the sights of the city, and

heart beat high at it, and at the promise that before she left she herself

any that want her; and then we could laugh at them all. There's so many against her Grace now who'd be for her if she had a son of her own. There's Duke Charles whose picture hangs in her bedroom, they say; and Lord Robert Dudley-there's a handsome spark, my dear, in his gay coat and his feathers and his ruff, and his hand on his hip, and his horse and all. I wish she'd take him and have done with it. And then we'd hear no more of the nasty Spaniards. There's Don de Silva,

broke into mirth at the thought of the

tisfaction-that he was not there to share it with her. The two went about together most of the

of a doorway of the White Tower, stopped a moment irresolutely, and then came towards them, bare-headed and bowing. He had sloping shoulders and a serious-looking mouth

orris," he said. "Perhaps

re," said the other,

own at Great Keynes; I was i

s, "I remember you perfect

n bowe

a little post under the Government. But I wished to tell you, sir, that I

s congrat

, sir," said

king at him; and he turne

and Master Anthon

Isabel a little shyly,

as if gratified; and

me to walk with you a few steps? I have much I wo

t Lackington asked most eagerly after the household at the Hall, and esp

id Mr. Norris, "that

k of great interest, "I had heard it too, s

s: and finished by entreating Mr. Norris to use him as he would, telling him how anxious he was to be of service to his friend

ge," said the servant, "and you s

man hurrying eastwards almost ran against them, and seemed on the point of apologising, but his face changed su

?" interrupted Mr.

sir?" said Lacking

id you not see

r," said the servant; and

ou, father?" asked Isabel,

dear; I have never s

knew," said Anthon

Lackington did n

ust it," sa

cts as cock-fighting a good deal; but he spoke also of the public disputations and the theological champions who crowed and pecked, not unlike cocks themselves, while the theatre rang with applause and hootin

her, one day, in St. Mary's Church, and the doctors argued, I forget what about, but Master Taylor says that of course the Genevans had the best of it; and the Queen spoke, too, in Latin, though she did not wish to, but my lord of Ely persuaded her to it; so you see she could not have learned it by heart, as some said

ster Taylor?" a

others say that he is a Papist altogether, and has a priest in his house sometimes. But I do not think he can be a Papist, because he was there when the Queen was there, bowing and smiling, says Master Taylor; and looking on the Queen so earnestly, as if he worshipped her, says Master Taylor, all the time the Chancellor was talking to her before they went into the chapel for the Te Deum. But they wis

smiling, "you must ask one who

, and one called Ezechias, before the Queen. Oh! and she sent for one of the b

my son,

nd Anthony's eyes began to shine with amusement-"as the Catholic Bishops in the Tower. There was Bonner in his popish vestments-some they had from St. Benet's-with a staff and his tall mitre, and a lamb in his arms; and he stared at it and gnashed his teeth at it as he tramped in; and then came the others, all like bishops, all in mass-vestments or cloth cut to look like them; and then at the end came a dog that belonged to one of them, well-trained, with the Popish Host in his mouth, made large and white, so that all could see what it was. Well, they thought the Queen would laugh a

. Marrett, "and they did it a

, I dare say, to put the Bishops in prison, without allowi

hony, "I though

was to come up from Nonsuch the next day, and to pass down Cheapside on he

estries, some of taffetas and cloth-of-gold, out of their balconies and windows, and the very signs themselves,-fantastic ironwork, with here and there a grotesque beast rampant, or a bright painting, or an escutcheon;-with the gay, good-tempered

. The laughter and noise grew louder as the crowds swayed this way and that to make room. Presently it was seen that behind the cart a little space was kept, and Anthony made out the grey head of a man at the tail of the cart, and the face of another a little way behind; then at last, as the cart jolted past, the two children saw a man stripped

it for?" inquired Antho

om the next wind

s Christ was

morist near the car

ushers, uncovering their heads and all crying out the same words; and one eager player tried to walk backwards until he was tripped up. And so the dismal

look all white. What is it?

know," sa

once more, as all faces turned westwards. A moment more, and Anthony caught a flash of colour from the corner near St. Paul's Churchyard; then the shrill trumpets sounded nearer, and th

d, but who was too much engrossed in the management of his horse to notice the two children who cried out to him and waved. The serjeants-of-arms followed, and then two lines again of gentlemen-pensioners walking, bare-headed, carrying wands, in short cloaks and elaborate ruffs. But the lad saw little of them, for the splendour of the lords and knights that followed eclipsed them altogether. The knights came first, in steel armour with raised vizors, the horses too in armour, moving sedately with a splendid clash of steel, and twinkling fiercely in the sunshine; and then, after them (and Anthony drew his breath swiftly) came a blaze of colour and jewels as the great lords in their cloaks and feathered caps, metal-clasped and gemmed, came on their splendid long-maned horses; the crowd yelled and cheered, and great names were tossed to and fro, as the owners passed on, each talking to his fellow as if unconscious of the tumult and even of the presence o

hat they

he cushions, embroidered with curious figures and creatures. Over her shoulders, but opened in front so as to show the ropes of pearls and the blaze of jewels on the stomacher, was a purple velvet mantle lined with ermine, with pearls sewn into it he

rows, auburn, but a little darker than her hair; her mouth was small, rising at the corners, with thin curved lips tig

were delirious with love and loyalty and an exultant fear, as this overwhelming personality went by:-this pale-faced tranquil virgin Queen, passionate, wanton, outspoken and absolutely fearless; with a sufficient reserve of will to be fickle without weakness; and sufficient grasp of her aims to be indifferent to her policy; untouched by vital religion; financially shrewd; inordinately vain. And when this strange dominant creature, royal by character as by birth, as strong as her father and as wanton as her mother, sat in ermine and velvet and pearls in a royal carriage, with shrewd-faced wits, and bright-eyed lovers, and solemn statesmen, and great nobles, vacuous and gallant, glittering and jingling before her; and troops of tall ladies in ruff and crimson mantle riding on white horses behind; and when the fanfares went shattering down the

of a soul, the image sprang into his mind, and poised itself there for an instant, of the