“Such men commonly do so,” said Mr Rose aside to Isoult, by whom he sat.
“Do what?” broke in Underhill, who heard it.
“Do perish with the sword,” answered he firmly, looking him full in the face.
“Amen!” cried the other. “I am abundantly ready—only, pray you, let me have a good tilt with the old mumpsimuses first.” (Note 3.)
“I would I were a little more like you, Underhill,” said Mr Rose. “I could suffer, as methinks, and perchance fly, an’ I had the opportunity; but resist or defend me, that could I not.”
“Call me to resist and defend you,” answered Underhill. “It were right in my fashion.”
“You may not be within call,” said Mr Rose somewhat gloomily. “But God will be so.”
“Mr Rose,” said Isoult, “look you for a further persecution, that you speak thus?”
Thekla’s eyes filled with tears.
“As Jack saith, Mrs Avery,” he answered, “I am neither prophet nor apostle. But methinks none of us is out of his place upon the watch-tower. There be black clouds in the sky—very black thunder-clouds. How know I whether they shall break or pass over? Only God knoweth; and He shall carry us all safe through them that have trusted ourselves to Him. That is a word full of signification—‘Some of you shall they cause to be put to death... Yet shall not an hair of your heads perish.’ Our Master may leave any of His servants to die or suffer; He will never allow so much as one of them to perish. O brethren! only let the thunder find us watching, praying always; and whether we escape or no, we are assured that we shall be ‘counted worthy to stand before the Son of Man.’ I would not like to ‘be ashamed before Him at His coming.’”