Rather startled by the priest's tone, Jack threw open the door so quickly that the sacristan, who was close behind it, had no time to get out of the way. The heavy door opening outward and coming upon him unexpectedly gave him a smart blow on the head, and caused him, after staggering a few paces backward, to assume a sitting posture with more haste than was either dignified or convenient. As the poor clerk sat rubbing his forehead with a dazed expression, Father John burst out laughing.
"Truly, eavesdropping is a business which does not flourish in these parts," said he, as soon as he could recover breath. "Tut, never mind it, good brother. I dare say you meant no harm, but you should be careful not to stand so near the door."
"I was but coming with a message to your reverence," said Brother Jacob, recovering his feet, and repulsing Jack who ran to his help. "Old Dame Higgins is near her end, and desires the sacraments of the Church. I did not know you had company with you," he added, casting a venomous glance at Jack.
"Your excuse is received, Brother Jacob," said the old priest, with more dignity than Jack had thought he could assume. "I shall thank you to give orders concerning my mule, and have all things in readiness. I will visit the good woman at once, and would have you lose no time in making preparations."
Brother Jacob left the room without more words, and Father John watched him till he was out of hearing. Then, closing the door, he turned to Jack once more. "Now, dearest son, listen to me," said he, laying his hand on Jack's arm, and speaking with great earnestness. "This same sacristan of mine has whispered to me, that your uncle is, and hath long been, suspected of heresy, and that he has been teaching you the same. I trust it is not so, for your own sake and his. I ask no questions. I would willingly live in peace with all men, as you know. But, since they have put Father Barnaby over my head, I am but a cipher in mine own parish; and if you or your uncle were to be attainted of heresy, I could do nothing to save you. I pray you, therefore, be careful to whom and of what you speak. Make friends with Brother Jacob if you can, though I doubt he will be harder to conciliate than I was, although he did not fall so far. And oh, dear son, for your soul's sake, as well as your body's, beware of new-fangled doctrines. Surely, what was good enough for our fathers, may well do for us. I have learned already to love you; you are like a young brother I had once, and I do not have many to love nowadays," said the old man, with a break in his voice and tears in his eyes. "It would wring my heart, if evil should befall you."
Much affected, Jack kissed his old friend's hand, and assured him that he would be careful. On his way out he met the sacristan, and stopped to apologize for his share in the accident. Brother Jacob received his apology meekly, and said it was his duty to forgive injuries.
"But I meant no injury to you," said Jack, a little vexed. "The good father bade me open the door, and I could not see through the oak plank to know who was behind it, you know."
"True, and yet—however, we will say no more about it," returned the sacristan. "I trust I am too good a Christian to bear malice or to revenge any injury done to myself, above all when it is, as you say, unintentional."
"You may be as good a Christian as you like, but I would not trust you farther than I could see you, for all that," muttered Jack to himself. "I might have guessed, when Father John bade me open the door, that some one was behind it. I think it is my luck to make enemies. I wonder whether I had better tell my uncle what the good father told me."
Jack thought on this point all the way home, and at last concluded it best to tell the story.