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He put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. The liberty wherewith Christ would have made him free was considered as a yoke of bondage, while the strong chains in which Satan held him were perfect freedom in his estimation. It was not with any hope that he would either understand or grant her request that Perrote made a last application to her lady's gaoler.
"Then thou art concerned to please God in everything. Or is it rather, that thou art willing to please God in such matters as shall not displease Amphillis Neville?" Amphillis folded up sundry new and not altogether agreeable thoughts in the garments which she was taking off and laying in neat order on the top of her chest for the morning. Perrote waited for the answer.
T'ree shillings to free marks beautiful, beautiful! Den here are Bon saints, que vois-je? Surely, surely it is Mademoiselle de Carhaix!" "It is," said Perrote; "and thou art Ivo filz Jehan?" "I am Ivo filz Jehan, dat man calls Ivo le Breton. I go from Cornwall, where dwell my countrymen, right up to de Scottish border.
"Will you sit?" said Mistress Perrote, speaking in a voice not exactly sharp, but short and staccato, as if she were what more voluble persons often profess to be unaccustomed to public speaking, and not very talkative at any time. "Your name, I think, is Amphillis Neville?" Amphillis acknowledged her name. "You have father and mother?"
While Mrs Margaret was selecting from the stock of gipsers a pretty red velvet one with a silver clasp, price half-a-crown, Perrote came quietly into the hall, and stood beside Amphillis, a little behind Lady Foljambe, who had not heard her entrance. "Here are de alners, Madame," said the lively little Breton. "Blue, green, black, white, red, tawny, violet. Will your Ladyship choose?
And as it is never of the least use for a man to quarrel with his conscience, he could do nothing but make Perrote the scape-goat, unless, indeed, he had possessed sufficient grace and humility to accept and profit by the rebuke: which in his eyes, was completely out of the question. Had the Archbishop of York been the speaker, he might possibly have condescended so far.
The maiden herself, in ignorance of all arrangements made or imagined, was indulging in some rather despondent meditations. The state of the Countess, whom she deeply pitied; the probably near parting from Perrote, whom she had learned to love; and another probable parting of which she would not let herself think, were enough to make her heart sink.
They found her standing by the window, as she often was at night, for the sunset and the evening lights had a great attraction for her. She turned her head as they entered. "At last, Perrote!" she said. "In good sooth, but I began to think thou hadst forgot me, like everybody else in earth and heaven." "My Lady knows I shall never do that," was the quiet reply.
The house and the prisoner were left in the hands of Matthew, Father Jordan, and Perrote. Norman Hylton accompanied his master. Lady Foljambe's mind had grown tolerably easy on the subject of Ivo, and she only gave Perrote a long lecture, warning her, among other things, never to leave the door unlocked nor the prisoner alone.
In vain Perrote tried to assure her that human love was inadequate to satisfy the cravings of her immortal soul; that God had made her for Himself, and that only when it reached and touched Him could the spirit which He had given find rest. "I cannot hearken to thee, old woman," said the dying prisoner. "My whole soul is set on my lad, and is bent to see him before I die.
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