“Seest thou this?” said a voice close to Humfrey, and he found a hand on his arm, and Babington, in the handsome equipment of one of the loungers, close to him.

“A sorry sight, that would grieve my good mother,” returned Humfrey.

“My Mother, the Church, is grieved,” responded Antony.  “This is what you have brought us to, for your so-called religion,” he added, ignorant or oblivious that these desecrations had been quite as shocking before the Reformation.  “All will soon be changed, however,” he added.

“Sir Thomas Gresham’s New Exchange has cleared off some of the traffic, they say,” returned Humfrey.

“Pshaw!” said Antony; “I meant no such folly.  That were cleansing one stone while the whole house is foul with shame.  No.  There shall be a swift vengeance on these desecrators.  The purifier shall come again, and the glory and the beauty of the true Faith shall be here as of old, when our fathers bowed before the Holy Rood, instead of tearing it down.”  His eye glanced with an enthusiasm which Humfrey thought somewhat wild, and he said, “Whist! these are not things to be thus spoken of.”

“All is safe,” said Babington, drawing him within shelter of the chantry of Sir John Beauchamp’s tomb.  “Never heed Diccon—­ Pierrepoint can guide him,” and Humfrey saw their figures, apparently absorbed in listening to the bidding for a horse.  “I have things of moment to say to thee, Humfrey Talbot.  We have been old comrades, and had that childish emulation which turns to love in manhood in the face of perils.”

Humfrey, recollecting how they had parted, held out his hand in recognition of the friendliness.

“I would fain save thee,” said Babington.  “Heretic and rival as thou art, I cannot but love thee, and I would have thee die, if die thou must, in honourable fight by sea or land, rather than be overtaken by the doom that will fall on all who are persecuting our true and lawful confessor and sovereign.”

“Gramercy for thy good will, Tony,” said Humfrey, looking anxiously to see whether his old companion was in his right mind, yet remembering what had been said of plots.

“Thou deem’st me raving,” said Antony, smiling at the perplexed countenance before him, “but thou wilt see too late that I speak sooth, when the armies of the Church avenge the Name that has been profaned among you!”

“The Spaniards, I suppose you mean,” said Humfrey coolly.  “You must be far gone indeed to hope to see those fiends turned loose on this peaceful land, but by God’s blessing we have kept them aloof before, I trust we may again.”

“You talk of God’s blessing.  Look at His House,” said Babington.

“He is more like to bless honest men who fight for their Queen, their homes and hearths, than traitors who would bring in slaughterers and butchers to work their will!”