ness. But the smiling demoness, his mother, could not forgive
him for changing his faith, and she resolved to slay him that very
night, and seize the government of the kingdom. He and all his lords
were stabbed in the rich hall while they were sitting at their wine.
Constance alone escaped. She was then put into a ship alone, with food
and clothes, and told that she might find her way back to Italy. She
sailed away, and was never seen by that people. For five years she
wandered to and fro upon the sea. Do you ask who preserved her? The
same God who fed Elijah with ravens, and saved Daniel in the horrible
den. At last she floated into the English seas, and was thrown by the
waves on the Northumberland shore, near which stood a great castle.
The constable of the castle came down in the morning to see the woful
woman. She spoke a kind of corrupt Latin, and could neither tell her
name nor the name of the country of which she was a native. She said
she was so bewildered in the sea that she remembered nothing. The man
could not help loving her, and so took her home to live with himself
and his wife. Now, through the example and teaching of Constance, Dame
Hermigild was converted to Christianity. It happened also that three
aged Christian Britons were living near that place in great fear of
their pagan neighbours, and one of these men was blind. One day, as
the constable, his wife, and Constance were walking along the
sea-shore, they were met by the blind man, who called out, 'In the name
of Christ, give me my sight, Dame Hermigild!' At this, on account of
her husband, she was sore afraid; but, encouraged by Constance, she
wrought a great miracle, and gave the blind man his sight. But Satan,
the enemy of all, wanted to destroy Constance, and he employed a young
knight for that purpose. This knight had loved her with a foul
affection, to which she could give no return. At last, wild for
revenge, he crept at night into Hermigild's chamber, slew her, and laid
the bloody knife on the innocent pillow of Constance. The next morning
there was woe and dolour in the house. She was brought before Alla,
the king, charged with the murder. The people could not believe that
she had done this thing; they knew she loved Hermigild so. Constance
fell down on her knees and prayed to God for succour. Have you ever
been in a crowd in which a man is being led to death, and, seeing a
wild, pale face, know by that sign that you a