crossed her arms over her rounded body, and, having ceased her
song, glanced about her and sighed in the fulness of pride.

At her feet her black, white and yellow slaves were busy with needle,
shuttle and spindle, vying with each other as they worked at the
garments for the expected infant. Laeta stretched out her hand and took
a little cap which an old slave laughingly offered her. She placed it on
her closed hand and laughed in turn. It was a little cap of purple and
gold, silver and pearls, and splendid as the dreams of a poor African
slave.

At that moment a stranger entered this interior court. She was clothed
in a seamless garment of one piece, in colour like the dust of the
roads. Her long hair was covered with ashes, but her face, worn by
tears, still shone with glory and beauty.

The slaves, mistaking her for a beggar, were about to drive her away
when Laeta Acilia, recognising her at the first glance, rose and ran
towards her.

"Mary, Mary," she cried, "it is true that you were the favourite of a
god. He whom you loved on earth has heard you in Heaven, and through
your intercession He has granted my prayer. See," she added, and she
showed her the little cap which she still held in her hand, "how happy I
am and how grateful to you."

"I knew it," replied Mary Magdalen "and I have come, Laeta Acilia, to
instruct you in the truth of Jesus Christ."

Thereupon the Marseillaise dismissed her slaves, and offered the Jewess
an ivory armchair with cushions embroidered in gold. But Mary Magdalen,
pushing it back with disgust, seated herself on the ground with feet
crossed in the shade of the great plane-tree stirred by the murmuring
breeze.

"Daughter of the Gentiles," she said, "you have not despised the
disciples of the Lord. For this reason I will teach you to know Jesus
as I know Him, to the end that you shall love Him as I love Him. I was
a sinner when I saw for the first time the most beautiful of the sons of
men."

Thereupon she told how she had thrown herself at the feet of Jesus in
the house of Simon the Leper, and how she had poured over the Master's
adored feet all the ointment of spikenard contained in the alabaster
vase. She repeated the words the gentle Master had uttered in reply to
the murmurs of His rough disciples.

"Why do you reprove this woman?" He had said. "That which she has done
is well done. For the poor ye have always with you, but Me ye have not
always. She has with forethought a