ng of this virtuous man to open shame.

Albeit, as soon as the priest had been taken, he made confession of his
wickedness, and told how he had counselled his sister to speak as she
had done in order to conceal the life they had led together, not only
because the excuse was one easy to be made, but also because such a
false statement would enable them to continue living honoured by all.
And when they set before him his great wickedness in taking the Body of
Our Lord for her to swear upon, he made answer that he had not been so
daring, but had used a wafer that was unconsecrated and unblessed.

Report was made of the matter to the Count of Angouleme, who commanded
that the law should take its course. They waited until the sister had
been delivered, and then, after she had been brought to bed of a fine
male child, they burned brother and sister together. And all the people
marvelled exceedingly at finding beneath the cloak of holiness so
horrible a monster, and beneath a pious and praiseworthy life indulgence
in so hateful a crime.

"By this you see, ladies, how the faith of the good Count was not
lessened by outward signs and miracles. He well knew that we have but
one Saviour, who, when He said 'Consummatum est,' (5) showed that no
room was left for any successor to work our salvation."

5 "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said,
It is finished."--St. John xix. 30.--M.

"It was indeed," said Oisille, "great daring and extreme hypocrisy to
throw the cloak of Godliness and true Christianity over so enormous a
sin."

"I have heard," said Hircan, "that such as under pretext of a commission
from the King do cruel and tyrannous deeds, receive a double punishment
for having screened their own injustice behind the justice of the Crown.
In the same way, we see that although hypocrites prosper for a time
beneath the cloak of God and holiness, yet, when the Lord God lifts His
cloak, they find themselves exposed and bare, and then their foul and
abominable nakedness is deemed all the more hideous for having had so
honourable a covering."

"Nothing can be pleasanter," said Nomerfide, "than to speak forth
frankly the thoughts that are in the heart."

"Yes, for profit's sake," (6) replied Longarine. "I have no doubt that
you give your opinion according to your temper."

6 This sentence is rather obscure in the MSS., and we have
adopted the reading suggested by M. Frank. M. Lacroix,