In what labours do not the necessities of rank and station involve a man who by disposition requires only ease and quiet! Well, my young friend Lysbeth, if I do not make you pay for these exertions before you are two months older, my name is not Juan de Montalvo." Three days later the ladies returned to Leyden.

Within an hour of their arrival the Count called, and was admitted.
"Stay with me," said Lysbeth to her Aunt Clara as the visitor was announced, and for a while she stayed.

Then, making an excuse, she vanished from the room, and Lysbeth was left face to face with her tormentor.
"Why do you come here ?" she asked; "I have given you my answer." "I come for your own sake," he replied, "to give you my reasons for conduct which you may think strange.

You remember a certain conversation ?" "Perfectly," broke in Lysbeth.
"A slight mistake, I think, Jufvrouw, I mean a conversation about an excellent friend of yours, whose spiritual affairs seem to interest you." "What of it, Senor ?" "Only this; I have made inquiries and----" Lysbeth looked up unable to conceal her anxiety.
"Oh! Jufvrouw, let me beg of you to learn to control your expression; the open face of childhood is so dangerous in these days." "He is my cousin." "I know; were he anything more, I should be so grieved, but we can most of us spare a cousin or two." "If you would cease amusing yourself, Senor----" "And come to the point?
Of course I will.

Well, the result of my inquiries has been to find out that this worthy person _is_ a heretic of the most pernicious sort.