t I should wed the Prioress-- It passes
understanding!"

When Hugh d'Argent ceased speaking, Symon of Worcester did not
immediately make reply. He sat looking into the fire, fingering, with
his left hand, the gold cross at his breast, and drumming, with the
fingers of his right, upon the carved lion's head which formed the arm
of his chair.

It seemed as if the Bishop had, of a sudden, grown restive under the
Knight's gratitude; or as if some train of thought had awakened within
him, to which he did not choose to give expression, and which must be
beaten back before he allowed himself to speak.

At length, folding his hands, he made answer to the Knight, still
looking into the fire, a certain air of detachment wrapping him round,
as with an invisible yet impenetrable shield.

"You overwhelm me, my dear Hugh, with your gratitude. It had not
seemed to me that my action in this matter would demand either thanks
or explanation. There are occasions when to do less than our best,
would be to sin against all that which we hold most sacred. To my
mind, the most useful definition of sin, in the sacred writings, is
that of the apostle Saint James, most practical of all the inspired
writers, when he said: 'To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it
not, to him it is sin.' I knew quite clearly the 'good' to be done in
this case. Therefore no gratitude is due to me for failing to fall
into the sin of omission.

"Also, my son, many who seem to deserve the gratitude of others, would
be found not to deserve it, if the entire inward truth of motive could
be fully revealed.

"With me it is well-nigh a passion that all good things should attain
unto full completeness.

"It may be I was better able to give full understanding to your tale
because, for love of a woman, I dwelt seven years in exile from this
land, fearing lest my great love for her, which came to me all
unsought, should--by becoming known to her--lead her young heart, as
yet fresh and unawakened, to respond. There was never any question of
breaking my vows; and I hold not with love-friendships between man and
woman, there where marriage is not possible. They are, at best,
selfish on the part of the man. They keep the woman from entering into
her kingdom. The crown of womanhood is to bear children to the man she
loves--to take her place in his home, as wife and mother. The man who
cannot offer this, yet stands in the way of the man who can, is a poor
an