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Nicholas Clere, like many other people of prejudiced minds and fixed opinions, had a mind totally unfixed in the one matter of religion. His religion was whatever he found it to his worldly advantage to be. During King Edward's reign, it was polite and fashionable to be a Protestant; now, under Queen Mary, the only way to make a man's fortune was to be a Roman Catholic.
Amy, who sat on the side of the bed swinging her feet to and fro for amusement, jumped down. "Mother, you'll get nought from her. I've essayed both last night and this morrow, and I might as well have held my tongue." "Go and light the fire," said Mrs Clere sternly to Elizabeth. "I'll have some talk with thee at after." Elizabeth obeyed in silence.
And Mistress Clere banged the door behind her, locked it, and left Elizabeth alone till dinner-time, when she carried up a slice of bread only one, and that the coarsest rye-bread and a mug of water. "There!" said she. "Thou shouldst be thankful, when I've every bit of work on my hands in all this house, owing to thy perversity!" "I do thank you, Mistress," said Elizabeth, meekly.
And then, suddenly, the words flashed across her, "Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven." Then the warning was better let alone, if it were God's will. She rose with a calmer face, and followed Mistress Clere to the next room to receive her penalty. "There!" said that lady, when her arm began to ache with beating Elizabeth. "That'll do for a bit, I hope.
A good brown, belike, and not one as 'll fade and a fine thread for the price, you know. You don't look for kersey at elevenpence to be even with that at half-a-crown, now, do you? but you'll never repent buying this, I promise you." Mrs Clere was not by any means a woman of few words. While she was talking her husband had taken down the kersey, and opened it out upon the counter.
For I succeeded in my object, and brought them back in triumph through the Red Sea, across the Isthmus of Suez, and so by way of the Mediterranean, the Bay of Biscay, the English Channel, Southampton Water, the South-Western railway, and Alice's new dark-blue barouche, safe and sound to Clere and the castle, where they all are at this present speaking, unless some of them are gone out a walking.
And his wife's a poor good-for-nought that wouldn't know which end of the broom to sweep with, and his daughters idle, gossiping hussies that'll drive their husbands wild one o' these days. Don't talk to me about Tomkins!" And Mrs Clere turned over the piece of florence as roughly as if it had been Tomkins instead of itself. "It was right good frieze," said the customer doubtfully.
Come now, do 'ee, Mistress Clere!" "I'm not to be coaxed, I tell you. Shilling an ell, and not a bit under." "Well! then I guess I shall be forced to pay it. But you'll give me good measure?" "I'll give you as many ells as you give me shillings, and neither more nor less. Twelve? Very good."
But home at Clere none slept that night, but met again next morning weary and harassed. All the long three days none of them spoke much, but wandered about the house uneasily. About ten o'clock on the Wednesday night they went to bed, and the old man sleeps from sheer weariness. It was twelve o'clock when there came a clang at the gate, and a sound of horses' feet on the gravel.
The smith of the town his liquor so took, That he was persuaded that the ground look'd blue; And I dare boldly be sworn on a book, Such smiths as he there's but a few. But what our fair readers will chiefly regret is the loss of three declarations of love; the first by Saint Clere to Matilda; which, with the lady's answer, occupies fifteen closely written pages of manuscript.
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