--

'It is Christ!'

Then the glow deepened, and from the Crucified One was shed a wonderful
light like the rising of the sun behind the mountains, and the church
was filled with its rich effulgence.

'Oh, God, it is moving!'

The Christ seemed to look at Brother Jasper and bow His head.

Two by two the monks walked silently in, and Brother Jasper lifted up
his arms, crying:

'Behold a miracle! Christ has appeared to me!'

A murmur of astonishment broke from them, and they looked at Jasper
gazing in ecstasy at the painted window.

'Christ has appeared to me.... I am saved!'

Then the prior came up to him and took him in his arms and kissed him.

'My son, praise be to God! you are whole again.'

But Jasper pushed him aside, so that he might not be robbed of the sight
which filled him with rapture; the monks crowded round, questioning, but
he took no notice of them. He stood with outstretched arms, looking
eagerly, his face lighted up with joy. The monks began to kiss his cowl
and his feet, and they touched his hands.

'I am saved! I am saved!'

And the prior cried to them,--

'Praise God, my brethren, praise God! for we have saved the soul of
Brother Jasper from eternal death.'

But when the service was over and the monks had filed out, Brother
Jasper came to himself--and he saw that the light had gone from the
window; the Christ was cold and dead, a thing of the handicraft of man.
What was it that had happened? Had a miracle occurred? The question
flashing through his mind made him cry out. He had prayed for a miracle,
and a miracle had been shown him--the poor monk of San Lucido....And
now he doubted the miracle. Oh, God must have ordained the damnation of
his soul to give him so little strength--perhaps He had sent the miracle
that he might have no answer at the Day of Judgment.

'Faith thou hadst not--I showed Myself to thee in flesh and blood, I
moved My head; thou didst not believe thine own eyes.' ...

VII

Next day, at vespers, Jasper anxiously fixed his gaze on the
stained-glass window--again a glow came from it, and as he moved the
head seemed to incline itself; but now Jasper saw it was only the sun
shining through the window--only the sun! Then the heaviness descended
into the deepest parts of Jasper's soul, and he despaired.

The night came and Jasper returned to his cell.... He leant against the
door, looking out through the little window, but he could only see the
darkness. And h