"Ay," said Mace, with a sigh, "it is what he would say." "Sir Mark has been here to me about--about--" "The wedding?" said Mace. "Speak out, Master Peasegood, I am ready to hear aught of thee." "Yes, my child. He came in his big commanding way to say that he should require me to be ready at a certain time." "Yes, and you--what did you say?" "That I would sooner--" "Speak! Pray tell me," cried Mace, passionately; "you torture me, you are so slow." "I said an unkindly thing, my child," replied Master Peasegood, sadly. "I said that I would rather read the burial service over thee than wed thee to such as he." "Thank you, Master Peasegood!" she cried, eagerly. "And you will keep to that, for I cannot wed this man." "My child," said the stout parson, "I promised friend Gil--for thy sake, not his--that I would be like a second father to thee, and I will; so come to me when thou art in trouble, and I will give thee counsel and aid." "But I am in trouble, Master Peasegood, and want thy counsel and aid." "Here they are then, little one," he said. "Go home and wait patiently. It is not thy wedding-day yet. Who knows how this gay spark stands at court? At any hour he may be recalled, and all his matrimonial plans be knocked upon the head. Fair Mistress Anne would give her ears to wed with him: and if she has set her mind upon it, mark me, she will likely enough take steps to stay his wedding you. There is many a slip 'twixt cup and lip, child, and maybe this trouble of thine will settle itself without action on our part. It will be time to take stringent steps on the eve of the wedding if nothing happens before, and something may. At all events he shall not wed thee in Roehurst church while I am parson there. Hah! who may these be?" There were steps at the door, and a sharp rapping, which the parson responded to himself, to find confronting him a stern, semi-military looking man in dark doublet, with two followers cut exactly upon his pattern. "Master Joseph Peasegood, Clerk of Roehurst?" said the stern-looking man. "Yes," said the parson; "I am that person, sir." "Here is a paper of attachment for thy person, Master Peasegood. Thou wilt with me at once to London." "I--go--to London--attachment--what for?" "I cannot answer thy question, sir," was the reply. "I am only executioner of this warrant. I believe it is something to do with Popish practices. Come, sir, I have a carriage waiting. The roads are bad, and we want to be going." "Popish practices! I, of all men in the world! But my people--who will take charge of them?" "A reverend gentleman is on his way, sir," was the reply. Master Peasegood read the document, bowed his head, and hastened his few preparations, standing at last finally with Mace's hand clasped in his.