"They be some woman's childre, every man," was Barbara's reply. "O Blanche!" interposed Clare, reproachfully. "Do but think of their childre at home: and the poor mothers that are watching in the villages of Spain for their lads to come back to them! How canst thou wish them hurt?" "How touching a picture!" said Blanche in the same tone. "In very deed, I would not by my good-will do them none ill," responded Barbara; "I would but pray and endeavour myself that they should do none ill to me." "How should they do thee ill, an' they were drowned?" laughed Blanche. The girl was not speaking her real sentiments. She was neither cruel nor flinty-hearted, but was arguing and opposing, as she often did, sheerly from a spirit of contradiction, and a desire to astonish her little world; Blanche's vanity was of the Erostratus character. While she longed to be liked and admired, she would have preferred that people should think her disagreeable, rather than not think of her at all. "But, Blanche," deprecated Clare, who did not enter into this peculiarity of her sister, "do but fancy, if one of these very men did seek thy gate, all wet and weary and hungered, and it might be maimed in the storm, without so much as one penny in his pocket for to buy him fire and meat--thou wouldst not shut the door in his face?" "Nay, truly, for I would take a stout cudgel and drive him thence." "O Blanche!" "O Clare!" said Blanche mockingly. "I could never do no such a thing," added Clare, in a low tone. "What, thou wouldst lodge and feed him?" "Most surely." "Then shouldst thou harbour the Queen's enemy." "I should harbour mine own enemy," said Clare. "And thou wist who bade us, `If thine enemy hunger, feed him.'" "Our Lord said that to His disciples." "And are not we His disciples?" "Gramercy, maiden! Peter, and John, and Andrew, and the like. 'Twas never meant for folk in these days?" "Marry La'kin! What say you, Mistress Blanche?--that God's Word was not meant for folk now o' days?" "Oh ay,--some portion thereof." "Well-a-day! what will this world come to? I was used to hear say, in Queen Mary's days, that the great Council to London were busy undoing what had been done in King Harry's and King Edward's time: but I ne'er heard that the Lord had ta'en His Word in pieces, and laid up an handful thereof as done withal." "Barbara, thou hast the strangest sayings!" "I cry you mercy, Mistress mine,--'tis you that speak strangely." "Come hither, and help me set this edge of pearl. Prithee, let such gear a-be. We be no doctors of the schools, thou nor I." "We have souls to be saved, Mistress Blanche." "Very well: and we have heads to be dressed likewise. Tell me if this cap sit well behind; I am but ill pleased withal." Heavy rapid steps came down the corridor, and with a hasty knock, Jennet put her head in at the door.