catching his death with rheums, like his poor father.'

There was a general smile, and Sir Marmaduke laughed outright.

'Nay, dame,' he said, 'have you marked such a greed of sermons in
our Berry that you should fear his so untowardly running after
them?'

'Tilly-vally, Sir Duke,' quoth Dame Annora, with a flirt of her
fan, learnt at the French court. 'Men will run after a preacher in
a marshy bog out of pure forwardness, when they will nod at a godly
homily on a well-stuffed bench between four walls.'

'I shall commit that matter to Mr. Adderley, who is good enough to
accompany him,' said Lord Walwyn, 'and by whose counsel I trust
that he will steer the middle course between the pope and Calvin.'

Mr. Adderley bowed in answer, saying he hoped that he should be
enable to keep his pupil's mind clear between the allurements of
Popery and the errors of the Reformed; but meanwhile Lady
Thistlewood's mind had taken a leap, and she exclaimed,--

'And, son, whatever you do, bring home the chaplet of pearls! I
know they have set their minds upon it. They wanted me to deck
Eustacie with it on that unlucky bridal-day, but I would not hear
of trusting her with it, and now will it rarely become our Lucy on
your real wedding-day.'

'You travel swiftly, daughter,' said Lord Walwyn. 'Nor have we yet
heard the thoughts of one who ever thinks wisely. Sister,' he