“Good-day, Master Torridon; you are in good time.  I am just come from His Highness, and will take you to him directly.”

Chris saw his father’s face blanch a little as he bowed in return.  Nicholas merely stared.

“But we have a few minutes,” went on the Archbishop.  “Sir Thomas Wriothesly is with him.  Tell me again sir, what you wish me to say.”

Sir James looked hesitatingly to the lawyer.

“Mr. Herries,” he said.

Cranmer turned round, and again made that little half-deprecating bow to the priest and the lawyer.  Mr. Herries stepped forward as Cranmer sat down, clasping his hands so that the great amethyst showed on his slender finger.

“It is this, my Lord,” he said, “it is as we told your Lordship at Lambeth.  This gentleman desires the King’s clemency towards Mr. Ralph Torridon, now in the Tower.  Mr. Torridon has served—­er—­Mr. Cromwell very faithfully.  We wish to make no secret of that.  He destroyed certain private papers—­though that cannot be proved against him, and you will remember that we were doubtful whether his Highness should be informed of that—­”

Sir James broke in suddenly.

“I have been thinking of that, my Lord.  I would sooner that the King’s Grace knew everything.  I have no wish that that should be kept from him.”

The Archbishop who had been looking with smiling attention from one to the other, now himself broke in.

“I am glad you think that, sir.  I think so myself.  Though it cannot be proved as you say, it is far best that His Grace should know all.  Indeed I think I should have told him in any case.”

“Then, my Lord, if you think well,” went on Mr. Herries, “you might lay before his Grace that this is a free and open confession.  Mr. Torridon did burn papers, and important ones; but they would not have served anything.  Master Cromwell was cast without them.”

“But Mr. Torridon did not know that?” questioned the Archbishop blandly.

“Yes, my Lord,” cried Sir James, “he must have known—­that my Lord Cromwell—­”

The Archbishop lifted his hand delicately.

“Master Cromwell,” he corrected.

“Master Cromwell,” went on the old man, “he must have known that Mr. Cromwell had others, more important, that would be certainly found and used against him.”

“Then why did he burn them?  You understand, sir, that I only wish to know what I have to say to his Grace.”

“He burned them, my Lord, because he could not bear that his hand should be lifted against his master.  Surely that is but loyal and good!”

The Archbishop nodded quietly three or four times.

“And you desire that his Grace will take order to have Mr. Torridon released?”

“That is it, my Lord,” said the lawyer.

“Yes, I understand.  And can you give any pledge for Mr. Torridon’s good behaviour?”

“He has served Mr. Cromwell,” answered the lawyer, “very well for many years.  He has been with him in the matter of the Religious Houses; he was one of the King’s Visitors, and assisted in the—­the destruction of Lewes priory; and that, my Lord, is a sufficient—­”