But for some minutes longer he was blessing what he dared not curse and cursing what he dared not bless .sx Then almost of a sudden came such shouting , such crushing and running hither and thither as officers in charge saw that this was a worse thing even than his confession .sx No man could say he was coerced in this .sx His face was lit up - " Duckett paused , " and yet even then there was fear in it , and the grander it seemed that he triumphed over it .sx We then thought him to be a Balaam ; but it was even a more strange case , as we knew later .sx For Tyrrell had written at length in his prison two discourses , one Catholic , one Protestant ; so he held him ready to speak for God or for the devil !sx Brief were the moments before the men who could terrify him so terribly had him again , and I saw the white face vanish as they dragged him down .sx There rose in his place a divine to attack him just as the first had praised him .sx I never saw him after that .sx For six months he lay in prison and no man allowed to see him .sx How Topcliffe wrought with him God knows ; but they had him out again in that same pulpit , a penitent Protestant .sx And my Lord Archbishop of Canterbury begged money from the faithful for this good convert .sx Now they tell me he has a cure of souls in a country parish ; he is even excused preaching .sx Maybe he will return to die in the faith .sx God knows !sx But he once said himself that those just men he had sent to Heaven by his false witness would pray for his soul !sx Thank Heaven we can never see his like again , but believe me , sir , that man had an amazing power of making pictures , and suggesting evil , so that he suggested by his lies to such men as Walsingham and Justice Young , by his monstrous and signed witness to the same , what plots they wanted to accuse us of withal .sx All his accusations aim at plots against the Queen's life , with the names given from the Pope to Babington or Walpole and the spots which he knew and all .sx the circumstance and likelihood that only a Catholic could give ; all , as he afterwards testified , fabrications and lies .sx He one day passed in a barge three priests going to be hung , drawn and quartered-entirely his own work .sx But they have not used up all the matter he gave them , and I have ever feared this same plot of his being fastened on the ladies of the Court .sx Sometimes , methinks , the devil put all this in his mouth .sx Sure it is that all the time he believed and trembled .sx God knows-but whenever I hear his name I pray to the martyrs he sent to Heaven for Anthony Tyrrell .sx " Whitlock had an almost painful inclination to lose himself in any story of human experience , sin and pain , but he was not unpractical and his mind was too full of Meg's danger to dwell much on the strange tale of Anthony Tyrrell .sx A purchaser coming into the shop took Duckett away and as soon after , when the coast was clear , Whitlock passed quickly through the streets until he reached St. Paul's and , going inside , sat him down to reflect on Meg's peril , and to rack his brain as to any way to keep her out of danger .sx The Government , as shown in the story he had just heard , seemed a monstrous black cloud overhead , a monstrous jungle of hellish yet animal force on the earth , in the midst of which was the fair , exquisite little maid who was threatened with horrors unspeakable .sx And there , looking up at the roof under which many had come to weep through the ages , as there was no cross before which he could make his oath , he told the fretted roof between him and Heaven the oath he made by God's help to put her safety before all earthly hopes , aims and ambitions .sx After some further musing it came to his mind that he had somewhat of business to transact in the Inns of Court , and he proceeded thither .sx He had had a letter from a man of the law who desired speech with him .sx Whitlock had sought him out , one named Didcot , after the death of the poor lady who .sx had given him the pomander .sx This had been at the command of the stranger who had told him that she was dead .sx Didcot had been barely courteous and had merely said , coldly , that he was beholden to him for bringing the sad tidings .sx Richard had had more than one question to ask , such as ; Out on what seas was the bereaved husband ?sx Who was the finely built stranger who had told him of the death ?sx and what had the pursuivants intended in their questions as to a Popish priest when they stopped him after he left the Hall ?sx But clearly nothing was to be got from Didcot , and he was surprised now to find that the man of the law wished to see him .sx Didcot had a complexion that matched his parchments , and an eye like the ink he used on them .sx Though he had this time asked Whitlock to come , he did not seem glad to see him .sx He then , at some length , unfolded some pleasant news .sx There was , it seemed , a sum of money due to Whitlock from an uncle dead a year or more , whose affairs were but now wound up .sx Didcot had been his man of business .sx It amounted to some 2,000 , but it had been confided to a trader in the East Indies , and whether it had been thereby increased or decreased he could not tell until a certain ship came home , which was already overdue .sx This same ship , said Didcot - and Whitlock noticed that again the ship was nameless - might put in in the Low Countries , and there arose a difficulty .sx Didcot paused in his slow speech .sx " Sir , can you swear to me that you will be secret in the matter I have to unfold ?sx I shall mention no names , and the information I have to give is in the main known to Government , but you can of course be my ruin if you bring out what I wish for your own sake to tell you .sx " Whitlock felt a certain integrity of character about the man and decided to give his word not to betray him .sx Didcot then explained that there was an opening for a great possibility of growing rich if a man could put his money into trade in the Low Countries .sx There was some risk withal , for though , in fact , many great men at Court had put out money in this manner , it was secret , and any small man might suffer for doing the same .sx " But if a man spend the wealth thus made overseas in his own country ?sx " queried Whitlock .sx " Just so .sx Thereby comes the puzzle for our men of business .sx They fear to lose what passes from our ships to the Low Countries , yet they like to see the money spent here afterwards .sx There is as yet no condemnation , but I must warn you it may come .sx " Richard was silent , and Didcot stayed as still as was clearly his bent to be .sx It seemed to him that here at once was an opportunity to put his oath to the test .sx For if Meg were unjustly pursued could he not , if he had money overseas , help her to fly thither - even perhaps escape himself - and make a home for her ?sx But for both their sakes he could not be too cautious .sx " How secret could this matter be ?sx " " In this case , Sir Captain , it could be of singular secrecy .sx For the money was trusted to a trader who would lose all if his dealings were discovered .sx Now he has large dealings and much money for use in this matter , your part is but small in the whole .sx Also I can so make as if your uncle had settled the money to be used thus .sx Mind you , Captain Whitlock , all will depend on me , and I must have a fair share in return for the same .sx It would be an ill-chance would make your part in this come to light , but ill-chances do befall those who seem to be favourites of fate .sx " Whitlock looked at the speaker in surprise at this touch of rhetoric - but there was no light on the parchment of his countenance .sx " Must I even say yea or nay at this instant ?sx " " I fear so , Captain , because I must not lose a chance that .sx has come my way of sending a letter to await the captain when this ship comes into port .sx " Whitlock mused again , and summed up the position thus .sx " If Meg is treated rightly then I can fetch back this money and we can even live in peace here .sx But , if she be cruelly treated , we could do but right to throw off this yoke unbearable .sx It is for her safety I take this risk .sx " After that Didcot brought out all the papers needed , and this seemed to Richard to be as straightforward , as safe , as such a matter could be .sx Having signed and sealed as directed , he went away wondering if for the first time , he had put himself into danger with the powers of whose merciless rule no man could think lightly .sx BOOK III CHAPTER I .sx THE Court moved to Whitehall in October and officially ignored Essex House and all its comings and goings .sx The Queen seemed gay and daily life as brilliant as it had ever been though maybe more mechanical as engineered by Robert Cecil than when inspired by Essex .sx Meg and Whitlock were in danger of growing careless in security as the weeks passed and Lady Southwell thought fit to warn them of prying eyes and reporting tongues .sx The Queen had recently been astonishingly gracious as to the marriage of a maid-of-honour and had graced the wedding feast .sx " But you , maidens and youths at court , must needs be wary , more wary than up to now , for no reliance must be put on this kindness of Her Grace , rather there is more like to be a sharp return to her common way and humour against marriage for her courtiers .sx " The usual gossip was buzzing everywhere and now being back in town it was more than ever concerned with the Queen's mind as to the Earl of Essex .sx What did Her Grace know ?sx What was there for Her Grace to know ?sx What was there Mr. Secretary Cecil wished her to know or to think ?sx What was there he was keeping from her knowledge ?sx Was it true , surely it was not , that my Lord of Essex was trafficking in intrigue with the King of Scots ?sx And then came the little trickle of a suspicion that Mr. Secretary .sx himself was making the running with the heir to the throne ?sx It did not spread , this last black drop in the autumn fog that rose from the river in November and penetrated into the rooms of the maids-of-honour at Whitehall .sx They might be rash in speech as to Essex , they might in the lightness of their youth spice their pastimes with mad jokes , but usually the terror of the horrible machinery of the secret policing of the realm kept them in bounds whenever the talk concerned the Secretary .sx Whitlock had been conscious during the past weeks that Mr. Secretary was regarding him with favour and therefore concluded that he had some use for him in his infinitely intricate designs .sx It seemed as if My Lord Clanricarde and he himself were chosen out to be immediately about the Queen's person more than any others .sx There was nothing Whitlock disliked more than this close personal service .sx He was more weary after an hour or more alone with Majesty than after a day and night in the saddle .sx He dared not compare notes with Clanricarde , but one day this youth , finding him alone , began to complain to his fellow sufferer .sx