"Your reverence can hardly expect me to bear witness against my own son—at least till I am obliged to do so," replied Master Lucas. "He hath ever been a good and dutiful son—that I can say for him."
"Have you any heretical books in your possession?" asked the priest, turning to Jack.
"I have a copy of the New Testament in Greek," replied Jack, "if you call that heretical; also, I have two treatises which your reverence gave me, one concerning the eleventh ode of Horace, and the other on the Metamorphoses of Ovid. Your reverence knows best what they are. Also I have Virgil and Horace, and certain other Latin books."
"Play not with me, young sir," said the priest, frowning. "I have certain intelligence from one who has seen it, that you have in your possession a copy of the Lutheran New Testament. I require you to put it into my hands."
Jack was silent, and did not move.
"Come, my son," said Father Barnaby, assuming a more friendly tone, "I pray you, be not obstinate. Do but give me up your books, and promise me to confess openly your errors, and all may yet be well. Unless you will do so I must search your father's house, and commit you to prison, where it may go hard with you."
"I am a prisoner in your hands, and you must needs do your pleasure," said Jack briefly. "I have nothing more to say, except that, whatever I may be, my father knows naught of these matters."
Jack and the rest of the family were in the sitting-room, while the house was thoroughly searched, but in vain. The hiding-place the books remained undiscovered, to the great chagrin of Brother Joseph, who showed himself an adept in the business, and who had to report his ill success to his principal.
"It matters not, we can take another way. Daughter," said Father Barnaby, turning to. Anne, who had hitherto stood quite silent, "you, at least, are a faithful child of the Church, as you have already shown. Can you tell me where these books are likely to be hidden?"
"I believe them to be in a small cupboard in the wall, behind my brother's desk," answered Anne, in a husky tone.