John, and what he heard from him he has told to my lord, and I heard
it."

(This was a lie, my children. No man from London had spoken with me. But
you shall see what follows.)

"And what did Sir John tell him," asked Master Richard quietly. "Did he
say he knew nothing of me?"

Now he asked this, thinking that perhaps this was a method of tempting
him. And so it was, but worse than he thought it.

"No, poor lad," said the young man very pitifully, "Sir John knew you
well enough. The messenger saw your little house, too, and the hazels
about it; and the stream, and the path that you have made; and there
were beasts there, he said, a stag and pig that looked lamentably out
from the thicket."

Now observe the Satanic guile of this! For at the mention of all his
little things, and his creatures that loved him, Master Richard could
not hold back his tears, for he had thought so often upon them, and
desired to see them again. So the young man stayed in his talk, and
caressed his hand again, and murmured compassionately.

Presently Master Richard was quiet, and asked the young man to tell him
what the parson had said.

"To-morrow," said the young man, making as if to rise.

"To-day," said Master Richard.