had ever known full well that when we did him any Samaritan service it
had been to no end save to draw from his purse the money to ransom my
brothers and Ann's lover. Every kind word had been pure lies and
falseness; yea, and worse than either of us were that crafty witch out
in the forest, and the old scarecrow who made boast of having been as a
mother to me. Thus far had I suffered his railing in patience, but now
it was too much for the hot blood of the Schoppers; I could refrain
myself no longer, and broke out in great wrath and reproaches for so vile
an accusation. If it were not that his age and infirmities claimed our
compassion, I would, said I, after such evil treatment, desire of Ann
that she should never more cross the threshold of a man who could so
cruelly defame us, and those two good women to whom we owed so much.

I spoke right loudly, beside myself with rage, and my face aglow; nor was
it till I marked that my uncle was staring at me as at some marvel that I
recovered myself, and on a sudden held my peace, inasmuch as the thought
flashed through my brain that I was denying my brother even as Peter
denied the Lord, albeit not indeed through any fear of man, but by giving
way to my angered pride. Howbeit I had not long ceased when the stern
old man cried out in pitiful entreaty.

"Nay, Margery, in the name of the Saints I pray you! You will not make
Ann my foe. How hardhearted you can be, and how wroth, and against an
old man sick unto death on the edge of the grave!--what was it, in truth,
that brought the bitter words to my tongue, but my care and fears for
you, who are verily and indeed my only comfort and all I have to love on
earth? And now when I say again: I will not suffer you to depart.
I will sacrifice all, everything to keep you from running into certain
death, will you even then threaten to leave me alone in my misery, and
to beguile Ann to desert me likewise?"