He had walked back with the old man in
full view of the little hamlet, to all appearances, the best of old
friends; and after providing for a room in the sick woman's house for
Robin himself, another in another house for Mr. Arnold, and stabling for
the horses in a shed where occasionally the spent horses of the couriers
were housed when Chartley stables were overflowing--after all this had
been arranged by Mr. Bourgoign in person, the two walked on to the great
gates of the park, where they took an affectionate farewell within
hearing of the sentry, the apothecary promising to see Sir Amyas that
night and to communicate with his friend in the morning. Robin had
learned previously how strict was the watch set about the Queen's
person, particularly since the news of the Babington plot had first
reached the authorities, and of the extraordinary difficulty to the
approach of any stranger to her presence. Nau and Curle, her two
secretaries, had been arrested and perhaps racked a week or ten days
before; all the Queen's papers had been taken from her, and even her
jewellery and pictures sent off to Elizabeth; and the only persons
ordinarily allowed to speak with her, besides her gaoler, were two of
her women, and Mr. Bourgoign himself.
That morning then, before six o'clock, Robin had said mass in the sick
woman's room and given her communion, with her companion, who answered
his mass, as it was thought more prudent that the other priest should
not even be present; and, at the close of the mass he had reserved in a
little pyx, hidden beneath his clothes, a consecrated particle.
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