He held it up as he found it, and looked full at Antony, who exclaimed in much agitation, “To keep out the dust.  Only to keep out the dust.  It is all gibberish—­from my old writing-books.”

“That will we see,” said Richard very gravely.

“Mistress, be pleased to give this young gentleman some water to wash his face, and attend to his bruises, keeping him in the guest-chamber without speech from any one until I return.  Master Babington, I counsel you to submit quietly.  I wish, and my Lord will wish, to spare his ward as much scandal as possible, and if this be what you say it is, mere gibberish from your exercise-books, you will be quit for chastisement for a forbidden act, which has brought you into suspicion.  If not, it must be as my Lord thinks good.”

Antony made no entreaties.  Perhaps he trusted that what was unintelligible to himself might pass for gibberish with others; perhaps the headache caused by Humfrey’s fists was assisting to produce a state of sullen indifference after his burst of eager chivalry; at any rate he let Mistress Talbot lead him away without resistance.  The other children would have followed, but their father detained them to hear the particulars of the commission and the capture.  Richard desired to know from his son whether he had any reason for suspecting underhand measures; and when Humfrey looked down and hesitated, added, “On your obedience, boy; this is no slight matter.”

“You will not beat Cis, father?” said Humfrey.

“Wherefore should I beat her, save for doing errands that yonder lad should have known better than to thrust on her?”

“Nay, sir, ’tis not for that; but my mother said she should be beaten if ever she spake of the fortune yonder Tibbott told her, and we are sure that she—­Tibbott I mean—­is a witch, and knows more than she ought.”

“What mean’st thou?  Tell me, children;” and Cis, nothing loath, since she was secured from the beating, related the augury which had left so deep an impression on her, Humfrey bearing witness that it was before they knew themselves of Cicely’s history.

“But that is not all,” added Cicely, seeing Mr. Talbot less impressed than she expected by these supernatural powers of divination.  “She can change from a woman to a man!”

“In sooth!” exclaimed Richard, startled enough by this information.

“Yea, father,” said Cicely, “Faithful Ekins, the carrier’s boy, saw her, in doublet and hose, and a tawny cloak, going along the road to Chesterfield.  He knew her by the halt in her left leg.”

“Ha!” said Richard, “and how long hast thou known this?”

“Only yestermorn,” said Cis; “it was that which made me so much afraid to have any dealings with her.”

“She shall trouble thee no more, my little wench,” said Richard in a tone that made Humfrey cry out joyously,

“O father! sweet father! wilt thou duck her for a witch?  Sink or swim! that will be rare!”