"It is a strange story," said Sister Paul, who had rarely heard a tale
of love.

"The strange thing is this," Beatrice answered. "That woman--what is her
name? Unorna? She loves him, and she knows where he is."

"Unorna?" repeated the nun in bewilderment.

"Yes. She met me after Compline to-night. I could not but speak to her,
and then I was deceived. I cannot tell whether she knew what I am to
him, but she deceived me utterly. She told me a strange story of her own
life. I was lonely. In all those years I have never spoken of what has
filled me. I cannot tell how it was. I began to speak, and then I forgot
that she was there, and told all."

"She made you tell her, by her secret arts," said Sister Paul in a low
voice.

"No--I was lonely and I believed that she was good, and I felt that I
must speak. Then--I cannot think how I could have been so mad--but I
thought that we should never meet again, and I showed her a likeness of
him. She turned on me. I shall not forget her face. I heard her say that
she knew him and loved him too. When I awoke I was lying on the altar.
That is all I know."

"Her evil arts, her evil arts," repeated the nun, shaking her head.
"Come, my dear child, let us see if all is in order there, upon the
altar. If these things are to be known they must be told in the right
quarter. The sacristan must not see that any one has been in the
church."

Sister Paul took up the lamp, but Beatrice laid a hand upon her arm.

"You must help me to find him," she said firmly. "He is not far away."

Her companion looked at her in astonishment.

"Help you to find him?" she stammered. "But I cannot--I do not know--I
am afraid it is not right--an affair of love--"

"An affair of life, Sister Paul, and of death too, perhaps. This woman
lives in Prague. She is rich and must be well known--"

"Well known, indeed. Too well known--the Witch they call her."

"Then there are those who know her. Tell me the name of one person
only--it is impossible that you should not remember some one who is
acquainted with her, who has talked with you of her--perhaps one of the
ladies who have been here in retreat."

The nun was silent for a moment, gathering her recollections.

"There is one, at least, who knows her," she said at length. "A great
lady here--it is said that she, too, meddles with forbidden practices
and that Unorna has often been with her--that together they have called
up the spirits of the dead with stra