The monk had found the sisters in their garden, having followed Dalaber’s directions, and entered by the little door which he himself had so ofttimes used.  At this hour the sisters were wont, in fine weather, to take an hour’s exercise up and down the pleasant sheltered walk beneath the wall.  Here the monk had found them, and had presented to Freda a small packet which contained Dalaber’s New Testament, of which he knew full well he would speedily be deprived, and a few jewels and valuables which he possessed and desired to make over to her.

“Tell us all that has befallen him!” cried Freda breathlessly.

So far all she had taken in was that Dalaber had been summoned before the prior, but she felt that more lay behind.  The monk was visibly troubled, and she knew him to be Anthony’s friend.  He stood before them with downcast mien and told his tale.

“It was yesterday in the afternoon that Anthony Dalaber came to me and borrowed a book.  I lent it to him, bidding him be careful of it; and he locked himself into his room, whilst I went my way to sundry tasks I had to perform, and then on to vespers and compline.  When I returned, Dalaber’s chamber door was shut and locked.  I went to mine own room, and presently the young man, a servant of the college, came in to perform some small duty, and he looked at me very cunningly, and asked whether I knew that Master Thomas Garret had been inquiring for me and for Master Dalaber.  Having been made aware that he had already fled from Oxford, I gave no credence to the young man’s words, and this seemed to anger him, for he told me plainly that Master Garret had come to the college, and had knocked many times at my door in my absence, and then coming away, had asked where Dalaber lived; and being directed to his door by this same youth, he had knocked till he obtained entrance, and had been shut up with him a great while.

“I was in doubt what to believe, and so said nothing; but later in the evening I was sent for of the prior, who asked me if I had ever had speech with Master Garret, and knew aught of him.  I told him I had not seen him this many a day, nor knew that he was in Oxford, save that the servant had spoken of his having been there this very day, which I scarce believed.  Having questioned me closely, he let me go, only warning me to have no dealings in the future with so pestilent a fellow.  He saw that I was ignorant of his present whereabouts, and suffered me to depart with only a rebuke.  But I left in fear and trembling for Anthony Dalaber, if indeed it should be true what the fellow had said that Master Garret had been shut up with him.