weakness. The Saints themselves are not always able to
cut through all the ties of the flesh.

St. Nicolas loved his niece, with a pure love, but not without
gratification of the senses. On the day following that on which he had
learned of Robin's bankruptcy, he went to see Mirande in order to hold
pious converse with her, as was his duty, for he stood in the place of a
father to her, and had taken charge of her education.

She lived in the upper town, near the Cathedral in a house called "The
House of the Musicians," because there were to be seen on its front men
and animals playing on divers instruments. There were, notably, an ass
playing a flute, and a philosopher, recognizable by his long beard and
ink-horn, clashing cymbals. Every one explained these figures according
to his fancy. It was the finest dwelling-house in the town.

The Bishop found his niece crouching on the floor, with dishevelled
hair, her eyes glittering with tears, by the side of an empty, open
coffer, in a room full of confusion.

He inquired of her the reason of this affliction, and of the disorder
that prevailed around her. Turning upon him her despairing gaze, she
told him with a thousand sighs that Robin, the Robin who had escaped
from the salting-tub, the darling Robin, having many a time told her
that if she ever wanted a dress, an ornament or a jewel, he would gladly
lend her the money wherewith to buy it, she had frequently had recourse
to his kindness, which appeared inexhaustible; but that very morning a
Jew called Seligmann had come to her with four sheriff's officers, had
presented the notes, signed by herself, which she had given Robin, and
as she had not the money to pay them he had taken away all the clothes,
head-dresses and jewels which she possessed.

"He has taken," she sobbed, "my bodices and petticoats of velvet,
brocade and lace; my diamonds, my emeralds, my sapphires, my jacinths,
my amethysts, my rubies, my garnets, and my turquoises; he has taken my
great diamond cross, with angels' heads in enamel, my large necklace,
consisting of two table diamonds, three cabochons, and six knots each
of four pearls; he has taken my great collar of thirteen table diamonds,
and twenty hanging pearls!"

And without saying more she wept bitterly into her handkerchief.

"My daughter," answered the saintly Bishop, "a Christian virgin is
sufficiently adorned when she wears modesty for a necklace, and chastity
for a girdle. None the les