So the young man went on.

"He went to the parsonage with Sir John, and talked with him there a
long while--"

"Did he see my books?" said Master Richard in his simplicity.

"Yes, poor lad; he saw your books. And then Sir John told him what he
thought."

"And what was that?" said Master Richard, faint with the thought of the
answer.

The young man caressed his hand again, and then pressed it as if to give
him courage.

"Sir John told him that you were a good fellow; that you injured neither
man nor beast; and that all spoke well of you."

Then the young man stayed again.

"Ah! tell me," cried Master Richard.

"Well, poor lad; as God sees us now, Sir John told the messenger that he
thought you to be deluded; that you deemed yourself holy when you were
not, and that you talked with the saints and our Lord, but that these
appearances were no more than the creations of your own sick brain. He
said that he humoured you; for that he feared you would be troublesome
if he did not, and that all the folk of the village said the same thing