“You remember, I trow, asking Master Carew for to lend me yon book?—and wending with me to hear Master Sastre’s homily?”
“I mind it well.”
“That meaneth it. That because I read Christ’s words, and love them, and do them, so far as in my poor power lieth, the charge of heresy is laid at my door. And I ween they will carry it on to the end.”
“The end?” said Richard, tremblingly,—for he guessed what that meant, and the idea of Margery being subjected to a long and comfortless imprisonment, was almost more than he could bear. His own utter powerlessness to save her was a bitter draught to drink.
“Ay, the end!” she said, with the light spreading all over her face. “Mind you not how Master Sastre asked us if we could sue the Lamb along the weary and bitter road? Is it an evil thing to sue the Lamb, though He lead over a few rugged stones which be lying in the path? Nay, friend, I am ready for the suing, how rough soever the way be.”
Richard sat looking at her in silence. He had always thought her half an angel, and now he thought her so more than ever.
“I trow you know these things, good friend?” said Margery, with her sad, faint smile. “You know, is it not, how good is Christ?”
“I am assaying for to know,” answered Richard, huskily. “I have been a-reading of Master Carew’s book, since I found you counted it so great a thing. Oft-times have Master Carew and I sat reading of that book whenever I could make an errand unto his neighbourhood; and he hath taught me many things. But I cannot say yet that I be where you be, Mistress Margery,” he added, calling her by the old familiar title, “or that I know Christ as friendly as you seem to know Him.”
“Then,” said Margery, earnestly, “let not go your grasp till you have fast hold of Him. Ah! what matter how soon or how sore cometh the end, if ‘whanne He hath loued Hise that ben in the world, into the ende He loueth them.’ (John xiii. 1.) O dear friend, count not anything lost if thou keepest Christ His love! If He shall come unto thee and say of aught by which thou settest store, as He did say unto Peter, ‘Louest thou me more than these?’ let thine answer be his, ‘Che, Lord, Thou woost that I loue Thee!’ (John xxi. 15.) Oh count not aught too rare or too brave for to give Christ! ‘He that loueth his lyf schal leese it; and he that hatith his lyf in this world, kepith it unto everlastinge lyf.’ (John xii. 25.) No man loseth by that chepe (exchange, bargain) of life worldly for life everlasting. Never shall the devils have leave to say, ‘Behold here a man who hath lost by Christ!’”
“Must we needs give Christ all?” said Richard, in an unsteady tone.