He extended his hand. Osric grasped it.
"Dost thou not know I did a Christlike deed?"
"Christlike?"
"Yes. Did He not open the prison doors of Hell when He descended thither, and let the captives out of Limbus? I daresay the Dragon did not like it."
"Osric, the subject is too serious for jesting."
"I am not jesting."
"But what led thee to break thy faith?"
"My faith to a higher Master than even the Lord of Wallingford, to whom I owed so much."
"The Church never taught me that much: if all we do is so wrong, why are we not excommunicated? Why, we are allowed our chapel, our chaplain—who troubles himself little about what goes on—our Masses! and we shall easily buy ourselves out of Purgatory when all is over."