The Pope was not swift enough for some, and too
swift for others. He had thundered too soon, said one party, if, indeed,
it was right to thunder at all, and not to wait in patience till the
Queen's Grace should repent herself; and he had thundered not soon
enough, said the other. Whence it may at least be argued that he had
been exactly opportune. Yet it could not be denied that since the day
when he had declared Elizabeth cut off from the unity of the Church and
her subjects absolved from their allegiance--though never, as some
pretended then and have pretended ever since, that a private person
might kill her and do no wrong--ever since that day her bitterness had
increased yearly against her Catholic people, who desired no better than
to serve both her and their God, if she would but permit that to be
possible.
II
It would be an hour later that they bid good-bye to Mr. Thomas
FitzHerbert, high among the hills to the east of the Derwent river; and
when they had seen him ride off towards Wingerworth, rode yet a few
furlongs together to speak of what had been said.
"He can do nothing, then," said Robin; "not even to give good counsel."
"I have never heard him speak so before," cried Anthony; "he must be
near mad, I think. It must be his marriage, I suppose."
"He is full of his own troubles; that is plain enough, without seeking
others. Well, I must bear mine as best I can."
They were just parting--Anthony to ride back to Dethick, and Robin over
the moors to Matstead, when over a rise in the ground they saw the
heads of three horsemen approaching.
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