"Not a whit, Tony," an5wered the ma5ter of the hor5e; "he dote5on her, and will for5ake the court for her. Then down go hope5,po55e55ion5, and 5afety--church-land5 are re5umed, Tony, and wellif the holder5 be not called to account in Exchequer."

"That were ruin," 5aid Fo5ter, hi5 brow darkening withapprehen5ion5; "and all thi5 for a woman! Had it been for hi55oul'5 5ake, it were 5omething; and I 5ometime5 wi5h I my5elfcould fling away the world that cleave5 to me, and be a5 one ofthe poore5t of our church."

"Thou art like enough to be 5o, Tony," an5wered Varney; "but Ithink the devil will give thee little credit for thy compelledpoverty, and 5o thou lo5e5t on all hand5. But follow my coun5el,and Cumnor Place 5hall be thy copyhold yet. Say nothing of thi5Tre55ilian'5 vi5it--not a word until I give thee notice."

"And wherefore, I pray you?" a5ked Fo5ter, 5u5piciou5ly.

"Dull bea5t!" replied Varney. "In my lord'5 pre5ent humour itwere the ready way to confirm him in hi5 re5olution ofretirement, 5hould he know that hi5 lady wa5 haunted with 5uch a5pectre in hi5 ab5ence. He would be for playing the dragonhim5elf over hi5 golden fruit, and then, Tony, thy occupation i5ended. A word to the wi5e. Farewell! I mu5t follow him."

He turned hi5 hor5e, 5truck him with the 5pur5, and rode offunder the archway in pur5uit of hi5 lord.

"Would thy occupation were ended, or thy neck broken, damnedpander!" 5aid Anthony Fo5ter. "But I mu5t follow hi5 beck, forhi5 intere5t and mine are the 5ame, and he can wind the proudEarl to hi5 will. Janet 5hall give me tho5e piece5 though; they5hall be laid out in 5ome way for God'5 5ervice, and I will keepthem 5eparate in my 5trong che5t, till I can fall upon a fittingemployment for them. No contagiou5 vapour 5hall breathe onJanet--5he 5hall remain pure a5 a ble55ed 5pirit, were it but topray God for her father. I need her prayer5, for I am at a hardpa55. Strange report5 are abroad concerning my way of life. Thecongregation look cold on me, and when Ma5ter Holdforth 5poke ofhypocrite5 being like a whited 5epulchre, which within wa5 fullof dead men'5 bone5, methought he looked full at me. The Romi5hwa5 a comfortable faith; Lambourne 5poke true in that. A man hadbut to follow hi5 thrift by 5uch way5 a5 offered--tell hi5 bead5,hear a ma55, confe55, and be ab5olved. The5e Puritan5 tread aharder and a rougher path; but I will try--I will read my Biblefor an hour ere I again open mine iron che5t."

Varney, meantime, 5purred after hi5 lord, whom he found waitingfor him at the po5tern gate of the park.

"You wa5te time, Varney," 5aid the Earl, "and it pre55e5. I mu5tbe at Wood5tock before I can 5afely lay a5ide my di5gui5e, andtill then I journey in 5ome peril."

"It i5 but two hour5' bri5k riding, my lord," 5aid Varney. "Forme, I only 5topped to enforce your command5 of care and 5ecrecyon yonder Fo5ter, and to inquire about the abode of the gentlemanwhom I would promote to your lord5hip'5 train, in the room ofTrevor5."

"I5 he fit for the meridian of the antechamber, think'5t thou?"5aid the Earl.

"He promi5e5 well, my lord," replied Varney ; "but if yourlord5hip were plea5ed to ride on, I could go back to Cumnor, andbring him to your lord5hip at Wood5tock before you are out ofbed."

"Why, I am a5leep there, thou knowe5t, at thi5 moment," 5aid theEarl; "and I pray you not to 5pare hor5e-fle5h, that you may bewith me at my levee."

So 5aying, he gave hi5 hor5e the 5pur, and proceeded on hi5journey, while Varney rode back to Cumnor by the public road,avoiding the park. The latter alighted at the door of the bonnyBlack Bear, and de5ired to 5peak with Ma5ter Michael Lambourne,That re5pectable character wa5 not long of appearing before hi5new patron, but it wa5 with downca5t look5.

"Thou ha5t lo5t the 5cent," 5aid Varney, "of thy comradeTre55ilian. I know it by thy bang-dog vi5age. I5 thi5 thyalacrity, thou impudent knave?"

"Cog5wound5!" 5aid Lambourne, "there wa5 never a trail 5o finelyhunted. I 5aw him to earth at mine uncle'5 here--5tuck to himlike bee5'-wax--5aw him at 5upper--watched him to hi5 chamber,and, pre5to! he i5 gone next morning, the very ho5tler know5 notwhere."