"No, Edgar is nice, too," the girl said, frankly, "and very strong. Do you
not remember how he carried me home more than two miles, when a year ago I
fell down when I was out with you, and sprained my ankle. And now, Albert,
perhaps some day you will get so strong that you may not think of going
into the Church and shutting yourself up all your life in a cloister, but
may come to be famous too."

"I have not thought of that, Aline," he said, gravely. "If ever I did
change my mind, it would be that I might always be with Edgar and be great
friends with him, all through our lives, just as we are now."

Sir Ralph and his wife were at the time discussing the same topic. "It may
yet be, Agatha, that, after all, the boy may give up this thought of being
a churchman. I have never said a word against it hitherto, because it
seemed to me that he was fit for nothing else, but now that one sees that
he has spirit, and has, thanks to his friend, acquired a taste for arms,
and has a strength I never dreamt he possessed, the matter is changed. I
say not yet that he is like to become a famous knight, but it needs not
that every one should be able to swing a heavy mace and hold his own in a
_melee_. There are many posts at court where one who is discreet and long-
headed may hold his own, and gain honour, so that he be not a mere feeble
weakling who can be roughly pushed to the wall by every blusterer."

"I would ask him no question concerning it, Sir Ralph," his wife said. "It
may be as you say, but methinks that it will be more likely that he will
turn to it if you ask him no questions, but leave him to think it out for
himself. The lad Edgar has great influence over him, and will assuredly
use it for good. As for myself, it would be no such great grief were
Albert to enter the Church as it would be to you, though I, too, would
prefer that he should not be lost to us, and would rather that he went to