en the splendid Knight said: 'Send her to me,' a most wondrous thing
did happen.

"Our blessed Lady, lifting her head, looked toward the door. Then
raising her hand, she beckoned.

"No sooner did our Lady beckon, than I heard steps coming along the
passage--that passage which I knew to be empty. The Knight heard them,
also; for his heart began to beat so loudly that--kneeling behind--I
could hear it.

"Our blessed Lady smiled.

"Then--in through the doorway came the Reverend Mother, walking with her
head held high, and sunlight in her eyes, as I have ofttimes seen her
walk in the garden in Springtime, when the birds are singing, and a scent
of lilac is all around.

"She did not see old Mary Antony; but moving straight to where the Knight
was kneeling, kneeled down beside him.

"Then the splendid Knight did hold out his hand. But the Reverend
Mother's hands were clasped upon the cross at her breast, and she would
not put her hand into the Knight's; but lifting her eyes to our Lady she
said: 'Holy Mother of God, except thou thyself send me to him, I cannot
go."

"And again the Knight said: 'Give her to me! Give her to me! Blessed
Virgin, give her to me!'

"And the tears ran down the face of old Antony, because both those noble
hearts were wrung with anguish. Yet only the merry Babe, peeping over
the two bowed heads, saw that old Antony was there.

"Then a wondrous thing did happen.

"Stooping from her marble throne our Lady leaned, and taking the Reverend
Mother's hand in hers, placed it herself in the outstretched hand of the
Knight.

"At once a sound like many chimes of silver bells filled the air, and a
voice, so wonderful that I did fall upon my face to the floor, said:

"'TAKE HER; SHE HATH BEEN EVER THINE. I HAVE BUT KEPT HER FOR THEE.'"

"When I lifted my head once more, the Reverend Mother and the splendid
Knight had risen. Heaven was in their eyes. Her hand was in his. His
arm was around her.

"As I looked, they turned together, passed out through the doorway, and
paced slowly down the passage.

"I heard their steps growing fainter and yet more faint, until they
reached the cloisters. Then all was still."

"Then I heard other steps arriving. I still kneeled on, fearful to move;
because those earthly steps were drowning the sound of the silver chimes
which filled the air.

"Then--why, then I saw the Reverend Mother, returned--and returned alone.

"So I cried out, because she