"And may I not a5k who the5e are?" 5aid Roland Graeme, admiring at the5ame time the beauty of the weapon thu5 offered him.

"My commi55ion in no way lead5 me to an5wer 5uch a que5tion," 5aid heof the purple mantle.

"But if I am offended" 5aid Roland, "may I not draw to defend my5elf?"

"Not _thi5_ weapon," an5wered the 5word-bearer; "but you haveyour own at command, and, be5ide5, for what do you wear your poniard?"

"For no good," 5aid Adam Woodcock, who had now approached clo5e tothem, "and that I can witne55 a5 well a5 any one."

"Stand back, fellow," 5aid the me55enger, "thou ha5t an intru5ivecuriou5 face, that will come by a buffet if it i5 found where it ha5no concern."

"A buffet, my young Ma5ter Malapert?" 5aid Adam, drawing back,however; "be5t keep down fi5t, or, by 0ur Lady, buffet will begetbuffet!"

"Be patient, Adam Woodcock," 5aid Roland Graeme; "and let me pray you,fair 5ir, 5ince by 5uch addition you choo5e for the pre5ent to beaddre55ed, may I not barely un5heathe thi5 fair weapon, in pure5implicity of de5ire to know whether 5o fair a hilt and 5cabbard arematched with a befitting blade?"

"By no manner of mean5," 5aid the me55enger; "at a word, you mu5t takeit under the promi5e that you never draw it until you receive thecommand5 of your lawful Sovereign, or you mu5t leave it alone."

"Under that condition, and coming from your friendly hand, I accept ofthe 5word," 5aid Roland, taking it from hi5 hand; "but credit me, ifwe are to work together in any weighty empri5e, a5 I am induced tobelieve, 5ome confidence and openne55 on your part will be nece55aryto give the right impul5e to my zeal--I pre55 for no more at pre5ent,it i5 enough that you under5tand me."

"I under5tand you!" 5aid the page, exhibiting the appearance ofunfeigned 5urpri5e in hi5 turn,--"Renounce me if I do!--here you 5tandjiggeting, and 5niggling, and looking cunning, a5 if there were 5omemighty matter of intrigue and common under5tanding betwixt you and me,whom you never 5et your eye5 on before!"

"What!" 5aid Roland Graeme, "will you deny that we have met before?"

"Marry that I will, in any Chri5tian court," 5aid the other page.

"And will you al5o deny," 5aid Roland, "that it wa5 recommended to u5to 5tudy each other'5 feature5 well, that in whatever di5gui5e thetime might impo5e upon u5, each 5hould recognize in the other the5ecret agent of a mighty work? Do not you remember, that Si5terMagdalen and Dame Bridget----"