pale indeed.

"I did not know," he gasped.

"Go and bring him to me, then," commanded the Saint, and pointed to the
door. Master Hugh slunk out looking very sick and miserable and horribly
frightened. For the truth was that he had been tempted by Grayking's
fatness. He had carried the goose home and made him into a hot, juicy
pie which he had eaten for that very morning's breakfast. So how could
he bring the bird back to Saint Werburgh, no matter how sternly she
commanded?

All day long he hid in the woods, not daring to let himself be seen by
any one. For Saint Werburgh was a King's daughter; and if the King
should learn what he had done to the pet of the Lady Abbess, he might
have Hugh himself punished by being baked into a pie for the King's
hounds to eat.

But at night he could bear it no longer. He heard the voice of Saint
Werburgh calling his name very softly from the convent, "Master Hugh,
Master Hugh, come, bring me my goose!" And just as the geese could not
help coming when she called them, so he felt that he must go, whether he
would or no. He went into his pantry and took down the remains of the
great pie. He gathered up the bones of poor Grayking in a little basket,
and with chattering teeth and shaking limbs stole up to the convent and
knocked at the wicket gate.

Saint Werburgh was waiting for him. "I knew you would come," she said.
"Have you brought my goose?" Then silently and with trembling hands he
took out the bones one by one and laid them on the ground before Saint
Werburgh. So he stood with bowed head and knocking knees waiting to hear
her pronounce his punishment.

"Oh, you wicked man!" she said sadly. "You have killed my beautiful
Grayking, who never did harm to any one except to steal a little corn."

"I did not know you loved him, Lady," faltered the man in self-defense.

"You ought to have known it," she returned; "you ought to have loved him
yourself."

"I did, Lady Abbess," confessed the man. "That was the trouble. I loved
him too well--in a pie."

"Oh, selfish, gluttonous man!" she exclaimed in disgust. "Can you not
see the beauty of a dear little live creature till it is dead and fit
only for your table? I shall have you taught better. Henceforth you
shall be made to study the lives and ways of all things which live about
the convent; and never again, for punishment, shall you eat flesh of any
bird or beast. We will see if you cannot be taught to love them when
they have ceas