Although his father no doubt heard him ride up to the house, he did not
ascend from his laboratory until his usual time, for although, since the
prior had called his attention to his son's condition, he had, when not at
work, done all in his power to make the boy happy, and had even given up
two hours every evening to him, at all other times he was absorbed in his
work to the exclusion of aught else.

"You have been down into the town?" he asked Edgar, as they seated
themselves at the table.

"Yes, father; and whatever may happen afterwards, there is no fear of any
trouble at present. The speeches of almost all the men were quiet and
reasonable. They urged that serfdom should be abolished, free right of
markets given, the price of good land to be not over four pennies an acre,
that all past offences should be pardoned; beyond this they did not go.
Indeed, they declared that everything must be done peacefully and in
order, and that any man caught plundering should be hung forthwith. By the
applause that followed, these are evidently the sentiments of the great
mass of the peasants, but I fear there are some of them--Wat the Tyler at
their head--who will go much farther. At present, however, they will
disguise their real sentiments, but it seems to me the march on London
that they threaten will be far from peaceable. In the first place, they
are going to Gravesend, and, joining those gathered there, will then march
to Rochester, free all those who have been thrown in prison for non-
payment of the tax, and then march on London."

"It must end in disaster, Edgar; for if they obtain what they desire from
the king--which they may do, seeing that his uncles are all away, and it
will be difficult to raise any force of a sudden that would suffice to