ey assemblages of
patricians and plebeians, piety and profligacy, "a company of pilgrims;"
a subject too well painted by others for me to go and daub.

They were in an immense barn belonging to the inn, Clement, dusty and
wearied, and no lover of idle gossip, sat in a corner studying the
Englishman's hours, and making them out as much by his own Dutch as by
the Latin version.

Presently a servant brought a bucket half full of water, and put it down
at his feet. A female servant followed with two towels. And then a woman
came forward, and crossing herself, kneeled down without a word at the
bucket-side, removed her sleeves entirely, and motioned to him to put
his feet into the water. It was some lady of rank doing penance. She
wore a mask scarce an inch broad, but effectual. Moreover, she handled
the friar's feet more delicately than those do who are born to such
offices.

These penances were not uncommon; and Clement, though he had little
faith in this form of contrition, received the services of the incognita
as a matter of course. But presently she sighed deeply, and with her
heartfelt sigh and her head bent low over her menial office, she seemed
so bowed with penitence, that he pitied her, and said calmly but gently,
"Can I aught for your soul's weal, my daughter?"

She shook her head with a faint sob. "Nought, holy father, nought; only
to hear the sin of her who is most unworthy to touch thy holy feet. 'Tis
part of my penance to tell sinless men how vile I am."

"Speak, my daughter."

"Father," said the lady, bending lower and lower, "these hands of mine
look white, but they are stained with blood--the blood of the man I
loved. Alas! you withdraw your foot. Ah me! What shall I do? All holy
things shrink from me."

"Culpa mea! culpa mea!" said Clement eagerly. "My daughter, it was an
unworthy movement of earthly weakness, for which I shall do penance.
Judge not the Church by her feebler servants, Not her foot, but her
bosom, is offered to thee, repenting truly. Take courage, then, and
purge thy conscience of its load."

On this the lady, in a trembling whisper, and hurriedly, and cringing a
little, as if she feared the Church would strike her bodily for what she
had done, made this confession.

"He was a stranger, and base-born, but beautiful as Spring, and wise
beyond his years. I loved him, I had not the prudence to conceal my
love. Nobles courted me. I ne'er thought one of humble birth could
reject me.