“Good morrow, my Lord. Have you induced this wretched girl to see the error of her ways?”
“I assayed it not,” said Lord Marnell, somewhat sulkily. “Farewell, Madge,—I will see thee again ere long.”
“Farewell, good my Lord,” said Margery, and for the first time in her life she was sorry to see her husband go. The truth was, that Lord Marnell felt so much vexed with his spiritual advisers, that he was seriously afraid, if he remained, of saying something which might cause his own imprisonment. The jailer locked the door after him, and the Abbot and Margery were left together.
“You have had time, daughter, to think over your sin, in penitence and prayer. Are you yet conscious that you have committed a grievous sin?”
“No, father.”
“No are? (i.e., Are you not?) I grieve to hear it. Fear you not the ban of Holy Church?”
“I fear it not, so Christ confirm it not; He did warn me afore of the same. ‘Thei schulen make ghou withouten the synagogis; but the our cometh, that ech man that sleeth ghou deme that he doith seruyse to God.’” (John xvi. 2.)
“Cease thy endless quotations from Scripture!” cried the Abbot, waxing wroth, and forgetting his civilities.
But Margery only replied by another—“‘He that is of God herith the wordis of God; therefore ye heren not for ye be not of God.’” (John viii. 47.)
“Take the curse of the Church, miserable reprobate!” cried Bilson, losing all command of himself, and smiting her in the face.