her pearls and perry-work behind her. But to
the Lady Isabel that here lieth dead, He gave length of days for ever
and ever; He gave her to drink of the Living Water, after which she
never thirsted any more."

"Oh, but I wish He would have given her something that I could see!"
sobbed Annora again.

"Little maid," said Guy, his hand again falling lightly on the little
flaxen head, "God grant that when thy few and evil days of this lower
life be over, thou mayest both see and share what He hath given her!"

And slowly he turned back to "her who lay so silent."

"Farewell, Isabel, Countess of Arundel!" he said almost tenderly. "For
the corruptible coronet whereof man deprived thee, God hath given thee
an incorruptible crown. For the golden baudekyn that was too mean to to
clothe thee,--the robes that are washed white, the pure bright stone
[see Note 3] whereof the angels' robes are fashioned. For the stately
barbs which were not worthy to bear thee,--a chariot and horses of fire.
And for the delicate cates of royal tables, which were not sweet enough
for thee,--the Bread of Life, which whosoever eateth shall never hunger,
the Water of Life, which whosoever drinketh shall never thirst.

"`_O retributio! stat brevis actio, vita perennis;
O retributio! caelica mansio stat lue plenis._'"

See Note 4 for a translation.

"How blessed an exchange, how grand a reward! I trust God, but thou
seest Him. I believe He hath done well, with thee, as with me, but thou
knowest it."

"`Jamais soyf n'auras
A l'eternite!'"

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note 1. Baudekyn, the richest variety of this rich silk, in which
threads of gold were probably intermingled.

Note 2. Perry-work: goldsmiths' work, often set with precious stones.

Note 3. In Revelations xv. 6, the most ancient MSS., instead of "pure
and white linen," read "a pure bright stone."

Note 4:

"`O happy retribution!
Short toil, eternal rest;
For mortals and for sinners
A mansion with the blest!'"

Neals's _Translation_.

APPENDIX.

Some readers of this tale may desire to know on what historical
foundation it rests, and in what points the fiction departs from truth.

The Order of Predicant Friars was instituted by Dominic in 1215, with
the avowed object of maintaining Roman doctrine and supremacy, and of
opposing and superseding the wandering preachers sent out by the
Waldensian