he
loved to dwell on the pure mother's face, and on the longing look in the
eyes of the Child. She accepted wholly the idea of a God who loved
mankind, of infinite goodness and mercy: if she could not as yet enter
into the subtlety of doctrine she could give that childlike faith which
is the envy of doctrinarians.

CHAPTER IV.

REVELATION.

"I curse the hand that did the deid,
The heart that thocht the ill,
The feet that bore him wi' sik speid,
The comely youth to kill."

_Gil Morrice_.--OLD BALLAD.

Jean had often expressed his curiosity to see the interior of the tower,
and Hilda had promised to gratify it. On the 25th of October an
opportunity occurred. She informed her lover that on that day a feast of
unusual importance would be held from which none would be absent, and
that her mother would be engaged at it from noon to midnight. On that
day, therefore, he walked freely along the cliffs, and was admitted to
the dwelling. He had unconsciously based his idea of its contents upon
his recollections of the squalid abode of Marie Torode, where human
skulls, skeletons, bones of birds and beasts, dried skins, and other
ghastly objects had been so grouped as to add to the superstitious
feeling inspired by the repulsive appearance of the crone herself. His
astonishment was therefore proportionate when he saw what to his eyes
appeared exceptional luxury. A wooden partition divided the room on the
lower story into two chambers of unequal size: the larger, in which he
stood, was the common dwelling apartment, the other was given over to
Hilda. The upper story, approached by a ladder and also by an external
staircase, was sacred to Judith; Tita occupied some outbuildings. The
sitting-room was hung with rich stuffs of warm and glowing colours; here
and there fitful rays of the sun flickered upon gold brocade and
Oriental embroidery; rugs and mats, which must have been offered for
sale in the bazaars of Egypt and Morocco, were littered about in strange
contrast with the bracken-strewed floor. On the walls were inlaid
breastplates and helmets, pieces of chain armour, swords and daggers of
exquisite workmanship. On shelves stood drinking vessels of rougher
make, but the best that northern craftsmen could produce. The seats were
rude and massive: one of them, placed by a window fronting the setting
sun, was evidently the favourite resting-place of Judith. Above this
seat was a shelf on which l