'It is better to marry than to burn,' said the other Apostle.
But methinks he knew nothing about it, being no better than a bachelor, or he would have amended it, 'It is better to burn than to marry _and_ burn.'" "Ha! art also a theologe, Sir Woodman ?" cried Dessauer.

"But enough; this touches on the Inquisition and the Holy Office.

Let us despatch." All this time the High Councillor had been gazing by fits and starts at the links of the necklace, turning it about and viewing it from every-angle.

It was composed of short bars of gold laid horizontally three and three together, and bound together with short chains of gold.
And on each of the bars there was engraven a crest.

Letters also were on the bars, cut in plain deep script.
"Now tell your tale and tell it briefly--that is, if brevity be in you, which I doubt," said Dessauer.
"As I said before," quoth the forester, "I was in the wars; I mean not only in the wars with womenkind, but also with mankind.