The King's Achievement

own time was tolerably occupied, and he thought it as well not to make a show of over-great hurry. He wrote to Sir Thomas, explaining that he wished to see him on a matter connected wi

*

ack in its own grounds, divided from the river by a wall with a wicket gate in it. There was a little grove of trees on either side of it; a flock of pigeons were w

from the hands in which it was buried, ceased his excavations and set up a shrill barking. The figure rolled over, and sat up; the pleasant brown face was

e me at a disadvantage; it is scarcely dignified"-and he stopped, smiling and holding o

mingled contempt and symp

eeing you once before,

t Anubis would take no refusal. But I am ashamed, and beg you will not

creet," said R

ss sufficiently off his gown to escape detection, and straight through to

at-hush-" and he broke off again sharply as the door from the stairs opened, and a stately lady, with a rather solemn and uninteresting face, sailed in, her silk skirts rustling behind her, and her fresh coif

orridon, of whom you have heard me speak. I was for

with dignity, as she took Ralph's h

enially round, "I welcomed Mr. Torridon with the

and was so charmingly afraid of his wife. His contempt began to melt as he looked at him and saw those

ared wholly absorbed in domestic details of the table and with whispering severely to the servants behind her hand, and to listen and look towards the further end where Sir Thomas sat in his tall chair, his flapped cap on his head, and talked to his daughters o

not catch, "nothing of the kind! It was Juno that screamed. Argus woul

t this meant, and the conversation at the other end swept round a corner while he w

ll aware, for I have never heard such blasphemy as I have heard from wherrymen. But what opportunities are theirs! If I were not your father, my d

d Ralph, "as I came here. It seem

more than a hot summer's day in Court, for I thought of my cool garden where I sho

subject that Ralph did not catch, but he saw Margaret on the other side flu

nd glanced up at Ralph to see if he understood the qu

s," said Ralph by a flash of insp

eyes shone

re such a treasure, Mr

uld not hav

that name was spoken,

lp

ay," went on Ralph, excited by his succe

oves. Now, there is a subject for Martial, Mr. Torridon. A corrupt statesman who has retired on his ill-gotten gains disproves an accusation of bribery. Let us call h

ne to him, but to have it capped appropriately was like drunkenness. Ralph blessed his stars that

they rose from table More came ro

my New Building," he said, "you

lked out into the garden behind the house, and

ed roof, and straightway build it; I picture a gallery and a chapel and a library away from the clack of tongues, and behold there it is. The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of thee.' To

e entrance hall with a door at one corner into the chapel, and a long low gallery running out from it, lined with bookshelves on one side, and with an open space on

ose shelves, ready to converse but never to interrupt. Shall

learnt the habit of silencing impulses and of only acting on plans deliberately formed; so he wa

onk if it is right, but I could not bear he should be so against God's

was silen

suppose," he said, "or he would not h

ledged that

ral years," we

alph as

onk, I suppose. He is long at his prayers,

uil," said Ralph. "He i

hough I shall not offend again. But his humour may be generally tranquil in spite of it. Well, if that is so, I do not

ack to the point, "if I thought she was

t is why the novitiate is so severe; it is to show the young men the

the Holy Maid?" asked Ralph,

little on one side like a clever dog, and

subject," he said,

aid Ralph. "Will you not tel

ched the further end of the gallery and

w that I should have suspected you of coming to search me out. But such a

ck of triumph bu

sure you will keep it private. I think the

gain. This was a very

ls from Calais to my mind is nonsense. Almighty God does not work miracles without reason, and there is none for that. The blessed sacrament is the same at Dover as at Calais. And a woman who can dream that can dream anything, for I am sur

sfactory, and Ralph

of the King's death

omas stopped

e," he said a little abruptly. And Ralph sucked in his lip

y companionship of our blessed Lord and of his saints as those do, and to know His secrets-secreta Domini-even the secrets of His Passion and its ineffable joys of pain-that is a very fortunate lot, Mr. Torridon. I sometimes think that as it was with Christ's natural body so it is with His mystical body: there be some members, His hands an

cast down, and Ralph watched him sidelong with a little awe and pity mingled. He seeme

e garden as they came near it, and on

her father, "what

said the girl. "I though

id it round his daughter's

, "if you have no more to say

s and Mr. Roper, who all rose to their feet as the three came up. More immed

ntleman a chair. It

to sit on the gras

the lawn instantly, entrea

aster Cromwell's friend does not. Why, tillie-vallie, as Mrs. More says, I have not said a word to Beatrice. Beatrice, this is Mr. Ralp

rl that was sitting contentedly on an outlying root of th

," she said tranquilly, as she drew back after t

t was sacrilege with such a name. Now, I am plain Thoma

aid the girl, "save th

have made-if it does not amount to corruption

said the girl; "I ca

ass that she was twisting into a ring between her slender jewelled fingers, and her white teeth were closed firmly on her lower lip as she worked. Her long silk skirts lay out unregarded on the grass, and her buck

chain to bind me to you," sai

eld i

only," s

yet Solomon in the matter of wives. Now, Mr. Torridon, tell us all some secrets

girl as serenely as before,

the clock," said Ralph gravely. "It is an und

talk treason. I can add to that. His Grace had a f

vity that Ralph glance

p from her work a

leep," adde

*

began to stir after the heat of the day, and to chirp from tree to tree. A hundred yards away the river twinkled in the sun, seen beyond the trees and the house, and the voices of the boatmen came, softened by distance and water, as they plied up and down the flowing h

tiresome chatterbox of a man, with such effect that the conversationalist's words died on his lips, after the third or fourth pause made for applause and comment. He told the story wel

, "but he never fails to ask after my mother'

ware of every movement that she made; he knew when she tossed the ring on the little sleeping brown body of the dog that had barked at him earlier in the day, and set to work upon another. She slipped that on her finger when she had done, and turned her hand this way and that

gain from the tower, and sta

g, "how dare I stay so long? I

self. "You have helped us to lose another day in the pleas

stood by him talking, while the wherry that had b

praise than that. She is always here, and always as you saw her today. I think sh

talk much,"

on More, "and otherwise is silent. It is a g

she?" as

w with my wife's sisters, Nan and Fan. She is often in town w

and the man in his great boots s

said More as Ralph stepped in, "and a Socr