His father leaned forward.

"Do you mean--" he began.

"I mean that His Grace is weary of her prophesyings. It was all very
well till she began to meddle with matters of State; but His Grace will
have none of that. I can tell you no more. On the other hand if Chris
thinks he must be a monk, well and good; I do not think so myself; but
that is not my affair; but I hope he will not be a monk only because a
knavish woman has put out her tongue at him, and repeated what a knavish
priest has put into her mouth. But I suppose he had made up his mind
before he asked me."

"He has made up his mind," said his father, "and will hold to it unless
reason is shown to the contrary; and for myself I think he is right."

"Very well, then," said Ralph; and leaned back once more.

The minutes passed away in silence for a while; and then Ralph asked a
question or two about his sisters.

"Mary is coming over to hunt to-morrow with her husband," said Sir
James. "I have told Forrest to be here by nine o'clock. Shall you come
with us?"

Ralph yawned, and sipped his Bordeaux.

"I do not know," he said, "I suppose so."

"And Margaret is at Rusper still," went on the other. "She will not be