e east like wind of the pestilence, and ye may have doubts
concerning the verity of this most holy and miraculous relic?"

They all crossed themselves, protesting that no such wicked whisper of
Sathanas had ever come into their minds, nor had they so much as heard of
Huss and his blasphemies.

"Nay," said Brother Thomas, "I could scarcely blame you if it were partly
as I said. For in this latter time of the world, when I have myself met
Jews flocking to Babylon expecting the birth of Antichrist, there be many
false brethren, who carry about feigned relics, to deceive the simple. We
should believe no man, if he be, as I am, a stranger, unless he shows us
a sign, such as now I will show you. Give me, of your grace, a kerchief,
or a napkin." The goodwife gave him a clean white napkin from her
aumbry, and he tore it up before their eyes, she not daring to stay his
hand.

"Now note this holy relic and its wonderful power," he said, holding the
blackened bone high in his left hand, and all our eyes were fixed on it.
"Now mark," he said again, passing it over the napkin; and lo! there was
a clean white napkin in his hands, and of the torn shreds not a trace!

We were still gaping, and crossing ourselves with blessings on this happy
day and our unworthy eyes that beheld a miracle, when he did a thing yet
more marvellous, if that might be, which I scarce expect any man will
believe. Going to the table, and catching up a glass vessel on which the
goodwife set great store, he threw it against the wall, and we all
plainly heard it shiver into tinkling pieces. Then, crossing the room
into the corner, that was dusky enough, he faced us, again holding the
blessed relic, whereon we stared, in holy fear. Then he rose, and in his
hand was the goodwife's glass vessel, without crack or flaw! {6}

"Such," he said, "are the properties of this miraculous relic; there is
nothing broken but it will mend, ay, a broken limb, as I can prove on my
own sinful body,"--thrusting out his great brown leg, whereon, assuredly,
were signs of a fracture; "ay, a broken leg, or, my dear daughters, a
broken heart." At this, of course, they were all eager to touch the
blessed relic with their poor rings of base metal, such as they wear who
are not rich. Nay, but first, he said, they must give their mites for a
convent of the Clarisses, that was building at Castres, by the care of
the holy Colette, whom he might call his patroness, unworthy as he was