"I would give it to his reverence himself," said Ambrose.

"His reverence is taking his after-dinner nap and may not be
disturbed," said the man.

"Then I will wait," said Ambrose.

The door was shut in his face, but it was the shady side of the
court, and he sat down on a bench and waited. After full an hour
the door was opened, and the canon, a good-natured looking man, in a
square cap, and gown and cassock of the finest cloth, came slowly
out. He had evidently heard nothing of the message, and was taken
by surprise when Ambrose, doffing his cap and bowing low, gave him
the greeting of the Warden of St. Elizabeth's and the letter.

"Hum! Ha! My good friend--Fielder--I remember him. He was always
a scholar. So he hath sent thee here with his commendations. What
should I do with all the idle country lads that come up to choke
London and feed the plague? Yet stay--that lurdane Bolt is getting
intolerably lazy and insolent, and methinks he robs me! What canst
do, thou stripling?"

"I can read Latin, sir, and know the Greek alphabeta."

"Tush! I want no scholar more than enough to serve my mass. Canst
sing?"

"Not now; but I hope to do so again."

"When I rid me of Bolt there--and there's an office under the