At the "Sign of the Golden Fleece"

by Emma Leslie

But at last the scene for which his eyes had sorely longed gradually rose before him. The stately tower of Magdalen College was the first bit of the landscape that greeted his eager eyes, and the towers of the city, and then at last they were winding along by the river bank, and the walls of Magdalen were passed. Then Merton, and Balliol, and the stately Cardinal College were passed on their way to the hostelry where lodgings had been secured for them.

Here Miles met with his first disappointment, for the host had not heard of Mistress Margery Paton coming to his house, and Miles had made sure that she would be there before him, and his father with her; now he began to fear that his father might refuse to come himself, or allow Margery to come.

Fortunately he had little time to worry about this, for his master's orders had been explicit,—that they should at once commence the inquisition into the condition of the smaller monasteries around, and so at daybreak the next morning the two commissioners presented themselves at a monastery Miles had not heard mentioned until they arrived at its gates. Quite another convent was to be the first to receive them, he understood; and he was quite as much astonished as the lay sister herself, who peered through the wicket of the gate, and then hastened to open it, with trembling fingers, when she heard who were outside.

Master Baldock, his companion, gave the sister no time to warn the authorities inside, but the moment the gate was open he pushed his way in, and bade her keep her post at the door, saying he would announce himself to the Mother-Superior.

The next moment they found themselves in the midst of a group of novices passing through the corridor on their way to the garden, and one of these stood still, with bated breath, as her eyes fell upon Miles Paton, while he was scarcely less moved. But, quick as the glance had been between the two lovers, the older commissioner had seen it, and noted the girl as she passed, silent and depressed, with her companions into the garden.

The sight of the Cardinal's commissioners caused such a flutter among the nuns and novices that the Mother-Superior was waiting to receive them by the time they reached her parlour; and she met them suavely enough, but complained that she had not been informed of their coming, that the community might have received them with becoming respect, as they would have wished.

Master Baldock bowed, and was equally suave, but said he was bound to obey to the letter the commands of his master, and these had left him no time to announce his arrival, as they had but reached their lodging just before nightfall the previous day.

The Lady-Superior knew this as well as he did, for, suddenly as the commission had been despatched, notice had been given to the convent to be visited; for the system of espionage was not confined to the Cardinal, and he knew there were spies in his household, who reported all his movements to those whom it concerned, so that the monasteries and convents around Oxford were expecting the visit they were supposed to know nothing about.

But the commissioner's first words evidently took the lady by surprise: "You will summon all the novices resident in your house; I will examine these first," said Master Baldock. And he bade his assistant take out his ink-horn, and prepare to write down the names of the ladies as they appeared before him.

"Nay, but they are children, not used to the rough methods of men. I will answer for them that they may be spared, for the minds of some are over frivolous, and not much given to serious things, or to speak with men."