"Leave our home--and now?"

"They talk of defending it against the forces of the Etheling Edgar, who
has been declared king; and we should all be in great danger."

"But will they stay here against our will?"

"Yes; for they say their lives depend upon it, that the Mercians scour
all the country round about, that all the roads are now occupied and
guarded, so that they can only hope to defend this place until they can
make terms with the King of Mercia, as they call Edgar, who is likely to
be acknowledged by all north of the Thames. The curse of the Church is,
they say, upon Edwy."

"Father Cuthbert is still here, is he not?--what does he advise? where
shall we go?"

"He says we can have the old house in which he, and the mass-thanes [xxix]
before him, lived while as yet the priory was incomplete
or unbuilt. It is very comfortable, and close to the church."

"But to take him so soon from his home!"

"They will place him in God's house, before the altar; there could not
be a better place where they or we could wish his dear remains to await
the last rites upon earth."

At that moment Father Cuthbert entered the room unannounced.

"Pardon me, my revered lady," he began; "but I grieve to say that your