em verum,
Verbo carnem efficit;
Sitque sanguis Christi merum----"

Always blood and always blood! The carpet stretched before him like a
red river; the roses lay like blood splashed on the stones---- Oh, God!
Is all Thine earth grown red, and all Thy heaven? Ah, what is it to
Thee, Thou mighty God----Thou, whose very lips are smeared with blood!

"Tantum ergo Sacramentum,
Veneremur cernui."

He looked through the crystal shield at the Eucharist. What was that
oozing from the wafer--dripping down between the points of the golden
sun--down on to his white robe? What had he seen dripping down--dripping
from a lifted hand?

The grass in the courtyard was trampled and red,--all red,--there was
so much blood. It was trickling down the cheek, and dripping from the
pierced right hand, and gushing in a hot red torrent from the wounded
side. Even a lock of the hair was dabbled in it,--the hair that lay all
wet and matted on the forehead--ah, that was the death-sweat; it came
from the horrible pain.

The voices of the choristers rose higher, triumphantly:

"Genitori, genitoque,
Laus et jubilatio,
Salus, honor, virtus quoque,
Sit et benedictio."

Oh, that is more than any patience can endure! God, Who sittest on the
brazen heavens enthroned, and smilest with bloody lips, looking down
upon agony and death, is it not enough? Is it not enough, without this
mockery of praise and blessing? Body of Christ, Thou that wast broken
for the salvation of men; blood of Christ, Thou that wast shed for the
remission of sins; is it not enough?

"Ah, call Him louder; perchance He sleepeth!

"Dost Thou sleep indeed, dear love; and wilt Thou never wake again? Is
the grave so jealous of its victory; and will the black pit under the
tree not loose Thee even for a little, heart's delight?"

Then the Thing behind the crystal shield made answer, and the blood
dripped down as It spoke:

"Hast thou chosen, and wilt repent of thy choice? Is thy desire not
fulfilled? Look upon these men that walk in the light and are clad in
silk and in gold: for their sake was I laid in the black pit. Look upon
the children scattering roses, and hearken to their singing if it be
sweet: for their sake is my mouth filled with dust, and the roses are
red from the well-springs of my heart. See where the people kneel to
drink the blood that drips from thy garment-hem: for their sake was it
sh