Page:The Chronicle of Clemendy.pdf/286

 feared her master more than God, the saints, and the devil, but yet a little gold might work wonders with her. "Then give her this," said he, drawing forth a purse with a matter of twenty pieces in it, "and promise her five times as much on our wedding day." And after making certain arrangements and appointments, the time came for them to part, the which they did, not without some trouble, for at these farewells each desires to give the last caress, and to kiss but once more, and all this takes time. However Edith went away at last, and the Pseudo-Andrew shuffled back to the convent, and gave the priest back his vestments, assuring him that things were in a very prosperous state. And from that time Sir Philip knelt beside his Edith on most days whereon she came to Mass and Evensong, with the connivance of the ancient hideous governess, to whom he persisted in paying most lowly reverence, continually dropping little purses into her hand, the which he obtained from the Canon Ambrosius. And once or twice instead of going to the monastic quire his lady met him just outside the town, and they pleased themselves by walking beside the Gavenny hand in hand. And the more Sir Philip heard of Master Maurice Torlesse the less he liked him, for everything that could be told of him was bad, save only that he was undoubtedly very rich, and kept in his house chests full of good things; besants, rose-nobles, flagons, and chalices of gold, to wit. But it fell out one day (it was in autumn, as the story was told to me) when the lovers were parting fondly after their vesper-musick