"That shall be a King," answered Perrote, softly. "Not yet is His kingdom of this world. But He is King of Israel, and King of kings, and King of the everlasting ages; and the day cometh when He shall be King of nations, when there shall be one Lord over all the earth, and His Name one. Is He thy King, Amphillis Neville?" "Signify you our blessed Lord, Mistress Perrote?" "Surely, my maid. Could any other answer thereto?" "I reckon so," said Amphillis, calmly, as she put away her brush, and began undressing. "I would make sure, if I were thou. For the subjects be like to dwell in the Court when they be preferred to higher place. `Ye ben servantis to that thing to which ye han obeisched.' [Note 2.] Whose servant art thou? Who reigns in thine inner soul, Phyllis?" "Soothly, Mistress, I myself. None other, I ween." "Nay, one other must there needs be. Thou obeyest the rule of one of two masters--either Christ our Lord, or Satan His enemy." "In very deed, Mistress, I serve God." "Then thou art concerned to please God in everything. Or is it rather, that thou art willing to please God in such matters as shall not displease Amphillis Neville?" Amphillis folded up sundry new and not altogether agreeable thoughts in the garments which she was taking off and laying in neat order on the top of her chest for the morning. Perrote waited for the answer. It did not come until Amphillis's head was on the pillow. "Cannot I please God and myself both?" "That canst thou, full well and sweetly, if so be thou put God first. Otherwise, nay." "Soothly, Mistress, I know not well what you would be at." "What our Saviour would be at Himself, which is, thy true bliss and blessedness, Phyllis. My maid, to be assured of fair ending and good welcome at the end of the journey makes not the journeying wearier. To know not whither thou art wending, save that it is into the dark; to be met of a stranger, that may be likewise an enemy; to be had up afore the judge's bar, with no advocate to plead for thee, and no surety of acquittal,--that is evil journeying, Phyllis, Dost not think so much?" Perrote listened in vain for any answer. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Note 1. Psalm seventy-two, verses 4, 5, 8, 12, 13, 18, 19; Hereford and Purvey's version, 1381-8. Note 2. Romans six, verse 16; Wycliffe's version, 1382. CHAPTER SEVEN. ON THE TERRACE. "Where we disavow Being keeper to our brother, we're his Cain." Elizabeth Barrett Browning. "Hylton, thou art weary gear!" "What ails me?" "What ails thee, forsooth? Marry, but that's as good a jest as I heard this year! I lack thee to tell me that. For what ails me at thee, that were other matter, and I can give thee to wit, an' thou wilt. Thou art as heavy as lead, and as dull as ditch-water, and as flat as dowled [flat] ale. I would I were but mine own master, and I'd mount my horse, and ride away from the whole sort of you!"