"Then wouldst thou never again enter thy father's door or receive his blessing!" exclaimed Master Lucas, striking the table with his fist so that the dishes jingled. "Never would I see again a child capable of playing such a villainous part. My curse—"
"Dear father!" exclaimed Jack, laying his hand entreatingly on his father's arm. "My dear good father, do not be angry with Anne. She would never do anything to forfeit your blessing, I am sure."
"I beg, Jack, that you will not interfere," said Anne, who seemed bent upon raising a storm. "It does not become you to meddle. Let my father say his will."
"My will is to bid thee hold thy tongue, for a malapert contrary wench as thou art, and not provoke thy old father to make a fool of himself, or bring on a fit of apoplexy," said Master Lucas, making an effort to control himself and speak in his usual pleasant tone. "Reach me a cup of cool water, my son. It was an evil day that I sent my daughter to a nunnery to learn to despise the honest and natural ties of blood and childly duty among a parcel of fantastic and bigoted old maids—craving your pardon, madam," he added, turning to Sister Barbara. "But it is enough to make a man a heretic in spite of himself, to hear one's own child upholding such notions to one's face. I verily believe more heretics are made by the priests than by any one else."
"I wonder what my lady says to Arthur's new notions," said Sister Barbara. "She used to be very strict lady about such matters."
"She was greatly grieved and shocked at first," said Jack; "but she is becoming more reconciled of late, and, I believe, she has never shown Arthur any unkindness in respect of them."
"Well, I don't wish Master Arthur any ill, but I wish he and our Jack were not so intimate," remarked Cicely. "The next thing we shall have Jack, himself, infected with Lutheran notions. They say Father William has come round to be an out-and-out Gospeller, and is all for having folk read the Scripture for themselves. Not that I see why the Gospellers are to be blamed for that," added Cicely simply. "Because, of course, if it were the true Bible, the more they read it, the more devout Catholics they would be."
Jack and Sister Barbara both smiled.
"Father William has been nothing else but a heretic this long time," said Anne angrily. "I am glad if he has at last had honesty enough to confess it."
"Heretic or not, he is one of the best men that ever breathed," said Master Lucas. "One cannot but think there must be something in these new doctrines, since such men as he are carried away by them. Jack, are you for riding out to the Priory Mills with me? I have some business with the miller there, and the afternoon is fine."