“Aha!” cried the Bishop again, “he has him.” The thrush had seized the worm who had come up to investigate the noise, and was now staggering backwards, bracing himself, and tugging at the poor worm, who, in a moment more was dragged out and swallowed.
“My lord,” said Anthony, “I came to ask your pity for one who was betrayed by like treachery.”
The Bishop looked astonished, and asked for the story; but when he heard who it was that had been taken, and under what circumstances, the kindliness died out of his eyes. He shook his head severely when Anthony had done.
“It is useless coming to me, sir,” he said. “You know what I think. To be ordained beyond the seas and to exercise priestly functions in England is now a crime. It is useless to pretend anything else. It is revolt against the Queen’s Grace and the peace of the realm. And I must confess I am astonished at you, Mr. Norris, thinking that anything ought to be done to shield a criminal, and still more astonished that you should think I would aid you in that. I tell you plainly that I am glad that the fellow is caught, for that I think there will be presently one less fire-brand in England. I know it is easy to cry out against persecution and injustice; that is ever the shallow cry of the mob; but this is not a religious persecution, as you yourself very well know. It is because the Roman Church interferes with the peace of the realm and the Queen’s authority that its ordinances are forbidden; we do not seek to touch a man’s private opinions. However, you know all that as well as I.”
Anthony was raging now with anger.
“I am not so sure, my lord, as I was,” he said. “I had hoped from your lordship at any rate to find sympathy for the base trick whereby my friend was snared; and I find it now hard to trust the judgment of any who do not feel as I do about it.”
“That is insolence, Mr. Norris,” said Aylmer, stopping in his walk and turning upon him his cold half-shut eyes, “and I will not suffer it.”
“Then, my lord, I had better begone to her Grace at once.”
“To her Grace!” exclaimed the Bishop.
“Appello Cæsarem,” said Anthony, and was gone again.