"I thank thee truly, dear heart," responded Philippa affectionately. "In good sooth, there is not room for all, howsoever we should squeeze us together; wherefore we must need disparkle [scatter] us. Verily, an' we had here but James and Nan, there were not one of us lacking." "How fareth Mr James?" returned Isoult; "is he yet a priest?" "He is now in London, with my Lord of Winchester," [Bishop Gardiner] answered Philippa. "Nay, so far from priesthood that he is now on the eve of his wedding, unto one Mrs Mary Roper [daughter of the well-known Margaret Roper], grand-daughter of Sir Thomas More." It was late in the evening before Isoult could contrive to speak with Dr Thorpe in private; and then she asked him to tell her frankly how he thought Lady Lisle. "Better this time," said he, significantly. "Think you as you did, then?" she asked. "Ay, Mrs Avery," said he, sadly, "I think as I did." After this, Isoult saw Lady Lisle herself, but only for a moment, when she struck her as looking very ill; but Philippa assured her that there could be no comparison with what she had been two days before. The next morning, Isoult, with Lady Frances, Lady Ashley, and Philippa, sat for an hour in the invalid's chamber. The conversation turned upon public affairs; and at last they began to talk of the pulling down of the roods, which Philippa opposed, while both Frances and Isoult pronounced them idols. "Fight it out an' ye will," said the sick lady, laughing feebly, "only outside of my chamber." "Go thou down, Kate, and fetch up Mr Monke first," responded Philippa; "for I am well assured my first blow should kill Frank an' she had not his help." Thus playfully they chatted for a while, but Isoult fancied that Lady Lisle was scarcely so angrily earnest in her opposition to the doctrines of the Gospel as was generally her wont. Presently up came the untidy Deb, in all her untidiness, to say that dinner was served; and was parenthetically told by Philippa that she was a shame to the family. "Which of us would you with you, Mother?" asked Frances. "Why, none of you," she replied. "Go down all, children; I lack nought; I am going to sleep." And she laid back her head on the pillow of her chair. "Shall I not abide, Madam?" suggested Lady Ashley. "No, child," she answered. "When you come above ye shall find me asleep, if all go well." So, seeing she preferred to be left alone, they all went to dinner. When they returned, Lady Frances, Lady Ashley, and Isoult, went towards Lady Lisle's chamber. Lady Ashley opened the door softly, and put her head in. "Doth she sleep, Kate?" whispered Frances. "Softly!" said Lady Ashley, withdrawing her head. "Let us not disturb her--she is so sweetly sleeping." Sleeping! ay, a sleep that should have no waking, From that sleep not the roaring of the winds, not the thunder of the tempest, not even the anguished voices of her children, should ever arouse her again.