“I would that all the world might hear the life giving words of that book, Paul,” said the good woman with a sigh.  “But they come from Wycliffe’s Bible, and the holy brothers tell us that it is a wicked book, which none of us should read.”

“It cannot be a wicked book which holds such goodly words—­words that in the Latin tongue the Holy Church herself makes use of,” said Paul stoutly.  “It may be bad for unlettered and ignorant men to try to teach and expound the words they read, but the words themselves are good words.  May I not see the book myself?”

“You know the risk you run in so doing, Paul?”

“Ay; but I am a good son of the Church, and I fear not to see what manner of book this be.  If it is bad, I will no more of it.”

The woman smiled slightly as she rose from her seat and touched a spring in the wall hard by the chimney.  A sliding panel sprang back and disclosed a small shelf, upon which stood a large book, which the woman placed in Paul’s hands, closing the panel immediately.

He lay still, turning the leaves with his thin hands, and marvelling what the Church found to condemn in so holy a book as this seemed, breathing peace and goodwill and truest piety; but a slight stir without the house, and the trampling of horse hoofs in the court below, caused the woman to raise her head with an instinct of caution, and Paul to thrust the volume hastily but cautiously deep beneath the pillows on which he lay.

There were strange voices in the house, and the door was opened by Brother Lawrence, who came in with a troubled look upon his face.  He was followed by three tall monks in a different habit, and with none of the rubicund joviality upon their faces that was seen in those of the brothers of Leighs Priory; whilst last of all, with a cunning and malicious leer upon his face, followed the little peddler, who, when he met the steady glance of Paul’s eyes, shrank back somewhat and looked discomfited.

But the foremost of the tall monks, scarce heeding the respectful salutation made him by Paul and the mistress, turned upon the peddler and said: 

“Fellow, come forward and bear your testimony.  It was, you who laid the information that heretical books were hidden in this house, and that you knew the hiding place.  Make good your words, now that you have brought us to the spot; for our worthy brother here speaks well of those that live beneath this roof.”

“May it please your reverence, I know the place well, and that there are heretical books concealed there always.  If you will press that spring in the wall here, you will see for yourself.  If you find not the forbidden Bible there, call me a prating and a lying knave.”,

Brother Lawrence was looking both troubled and curious, but the face of Mistress Devenish was perfectly calm, and Paul commanded his countenance to a look of simple wonderment and surprise.

The monk obeyed the direction of the peddler; the secret spring, gave a sharp click, and the door flew open.  But the little shelf was bare, and told no tales, and the face of the peddler fell.