her no more for
many weary months. At times the terrible screams would arouse me from
sleep, and then I prayed for her, that God would strengthen her, and
ease the torment to her; but, above all, that God would take her. I
trust it were not sin in me, Isoult. But if thou hadst seen her as I
saw her!

"Well, I saw her no more until this last April. Then there came a night
when the shrieks awoke me, more terrible than I had ever heard them yet.
When Dona Leonor came into my chamber on the morrow, which was Good
Friday, I asked if she knew the cause. She told me ay. Her Highness
lay dying, and had refused to receive [that is, to receive the
sacrament]. Fray Domingo de Soto would not suffer her to depart without
the host. While she yet talked with me, entered Dona Ximena de Lara,
that had never been in my chamber afore, and alway seemed to hold her
much above me. `Dona Ines,' quoth she, `my Lord of Denia commands you
to follow me quickly. The Queen is in a fearful frenzy, and sith she
hath alway much loved music, and divers times hath desired you should be
fetched to sing to her, my Lord Marquis would have you try whether that
will serve to abate her rage.'

"`And they gave her the _cuerda_?' said I, as I followed Dona Ximena.
`Ay, for two hours and more,' saith she, `but alas! to no end. She
refuseth yet to receive His Majesty.' Know thou, Isoult, that these
strange folk call the wafer `His Majesty'--a title that they give at
once to God and the King. `They gave her the _premia_ early last
night,' saith she, `but it was to no good; wherefore it was found
needful to repeat the same, more severely, near dawn. Her screams must
have been heard all over the town. A right woeful frenzy followed,
wherein (she being ignorant of what she did) they caused her to swallow
His Majesty. Whereupon, in the space of some few minutes, by the power
of our Lord, she calmed; but the frenzy is now returned, and they think
her very near her departing.' In her Highness' chamber a screen was
drawn afore the bed, that I could not see her; but her struggles and her
cries could too well be heard. My Lord of Denia stood without the
screen, and I asked what it was his pleasure I should sing. He
answered, what I would, but that it should be soft and soothing. And
methought the Hymn for the Dead should be the best thing to sing for the
dying.

"`Rex tremendae majestatis,
Qui salvandos salvas gratis,
Salve me, Fons Pietatis