The officer set the bottle down again upon the table.

"Now sir" he said, "that is enough to cast you. None who was a Christian
man would have such a thing. Say _paternoster_." [This seems to have
been one of the tests in trials for witchcraft.]

"_Paternoster_ ..." began Master Richard.

Now, my children, I cannot explain what this signified, but Master
Richard could get no further than that. I know that I myself cannot say
any of the prayers of mass when I am away from the altar, and other
priests have told me the same of themselves, but it seems to me very
strange that a man should not at any time be able to say _paternoster_.
Whether it was that Master Richard was sick, or that the officer's face
troubled him, or whether that God Almighty desired to put him to a
grievous test, I know not. But he could not say it. He repeated over and
over again, _Paternoster ... Paternoster_, and swayed as he stood.

The officer's face grew dark and a little afraid; he blessed himself
three or four times, and breathed through his nostrils heavily. Master
Richard felt himself smiling again, and presently fell to laughing, and
as he laughed he perceived that the men who held him drew away from him
a little, and blessed themselves too.

"I cannot help it," sobbed Master Richard presently, "to think that I
cannot say _paternoster_!"

When he had recovered himself somewhat, he perceived that the two other
men were come up behind him.