"My lord, wilt grant his life until the morrow?" He hesitated, then turned and bowing low, murmured, "Until the morrow, Kate," and left the chamber. CHAPTER IX SIR JULIAN POMPHREY "Now time is something to have gained! Janet, thou must go to yonder monastery and bring a priest to shrive Christopher." "And how didst thou know Christopher was shriveable?" "'Tis unseemly of thee to make jest of divine ordinances." "Nay, I would not jest but know where 'twas thou learnt of his religion?" "All of the Catholic faith know one another by intuition; 'tis God-given." "Then thou didst also know him to be a rascal?" "Neither do I know it now. Wilt thou not find some way to bring a priest hither? Pray, Janet, do; for if I let it go past, 'twill bring me miserable thoughts and wicked dreams. Janet, thou didst once love me and hadst a fond way of anticipating my desires; but thou hast on a sudden forgotten thine whilom usages. Beshrew thee for falling away from thine old friends and taking up with new ones. Lord Cedric's nurse watches him from morn until eve and deigns not to cajole him or win his desires from their natural bent." "'Tis wisely said; for his desires are inclined in the right direction. 'Twas but last night when he was well-nigh distraught with thy absence with the Russian Jew that doth ogle thee, that Angel brought his riding-cloak and threw it over his shoulders as he tore up and down his chamber; and she said, lowly,--'Go, my lord, 'twill ease thy mind to ride,' and he flew to horse. She is ever helping him to thee." "And now I would have thee to help me to my lord's good graces and my desires; but thou art evil bent." "Nay, my precious Lambkin, if I could I would help thee this night to the nuptial altar; but as to helping thee to thy desires, 'twould be helping thy peace of mind and him to utter ruin; and such calamity would render thy young life incomplete; for without this noble lord thy perfectness will be unfinished." "Cease carving epitaphs, Janet, and help me assist this poor unfortunate. How long will my lord be gone?" "He has only gone to the village to meet the workmen who were to renovate the nurseries and ride home with Lady Constance, who rode away early this morning when thou were dreaming of Russia."