such a thing.'

'It is as I suspected then,' said the Baron. 'That child was sent
amongst us as a spy.' Tell me, Beranger, had she any knowledge of
our intended journey to England?'

'To England! But no, father, I did not even know it was intended.
To England--to that Walwyn which my mother takes such pains to make
us speak rightly. Are we then, going?'

'Listen, my son. Thou hast to-day proved thyself worthy of trust,
and thou shalt hear. My son, ere yet I knew the truth I was a
reckless disobedient youth, and I bore thy mother from her parents
in England without their consent. Since, by Heaven's grace, I have
come to a better mind, we have asked and obtained their
forgiveness, and it has long been their desire to see again their
daughter and her son. Moreover, since the accession of the present
Queen, it has been a land where the light is free to shine forth;
and though I verily believe what Maitre Gardon says, that
persecution is a blessed means of grace, yet it is grievous to
expose one's dearest thereto when they are in no state to count the
cost. Therefore would I thither convey you all, and there amid thy
mother's family would we openly abjure the errors in which we have
been nurture. I have already sent to Paris to obtain from the
Queen-mother the necessary permission to take my family to visit
thy grand-father, and it must now be our endeavour to start
immediately on the receipt of the reply, before the Chevalier's
information can lead to any hindrance or detention of Eustacie.'

'Then Eustacie will go with us, Monsieur?'