u to say?"

The lay-brother stood meek and silent, with his arms still crossed in
front of him.

"One thousand Aves and as many Credos, said standing with arms
outstretched before the shrine of the Virgin, may help thee to remember
that the Creator hath given us two ears and but one mouth, as a token
that there is twice the work for the one as for the other. Where is the
master of the novices?"

"He is without, most holy father."

"Send him hither."

The sandalled feet clattered over the wooden floor, and the iron-bound
door creaked upon its hinges. In a few moments it opened again to admit
a short square monk with a heavy, composed face and an authoritative
manner.

"You have sent for me, holy father?"

"Yes, brother Jerome, I wish that this matter be disposed of with as
little scandal as may be, and yet it is needful that the example should
be a public one." The Abbot spoke in Latin now, as a language which was
more fitted by its age and solemnity to convey the thoughts of two high
dignitaries of the order.

"It would, perchance, be best that the novices be not admitted,"
suggested the master. "This mention of a woman may turn their minds from
their pious meditations to worldly and evil thoughts."

"Woman! woman!" groaned the Abbot. "Well has the holy Chrysostom termed
them _radix malorum_. From Eve downwards, what good hath come from any
of them? Who brings the plaint?"

"It is brother Ambrose."

"A holy and devout young man."

"A light and a pattern to every novice."

"Let the matter be brought to an issue then according to our old-time
monastic habit. Bid the chancellor and the sub-chancellor lead in the
brothers according to age, together with brother John, the accused, and
brother Ambrose, the accuser."

"And the novices?"

"Let them bide in the north alley of the cloisters. Stay! Bid the
sub-chancellor send out to them Thomas the lector to read unto them
from the 'Gesta beati Benedicti.' It may save them from foolish and
pernicious babbling."

The Abbot was left to himself once more, and bent his thin gray face
over his illuminated breviary. So he remained while the senior monks
filed slowly and sedately into the chamber seating themselves upon the
long oaken benches which lined the wall on either side. At the further
end, in two high chairs as large as that of the Abbot, though hardly as
elaborately carved, sat the master of the novices and the chancellor,
the latter a broad and portly pr