d carried our sorrows.'"

Mora's brow cleared.

"I think I understand, my lord; and that you should so feel, helps me
to confess to you a thing which I have scarce dared admit to myself. I
found it difficult in mine own soul to attach due weight to our blessed
Lady's words as heard by Mary Antony. Mine own test--the robin's
flight, straight from the hand of the Madonna to the world
without--spoke with more sense of truth to my heart. I blame myself
for this; but so it is. Yet it was the vision which decided me as to
my clear path of duty."

"Doubtless," remarked the Bishop, "the medium of Mary Antony took from
the solemnity of the pronouncement. There would be a twist of
quaintness in even the holiest vision, as described by the old
lay-sister."

"Nay, my lord," said Mora. "Truth to tell, it was not so. Once fairly
started on the telling, she seemed lifted into a strange sublimity of
utterance. I marvelled at it, and at the unearthly radiance of her
face. At the end, I thought she slept; but later I heard from the
Sub-Prioress that she was found swooning before the crucifix and they
had much ado to bring her round.

"My lord, my heart fails me when I think to-day of my empty cell, and
of the sore perplexity of my nuns. How soon will it be possible that
you see them and put the matter right, by giving the Holy Father's
message?"

"So soon as you are wed, my daughter, I ride back to Worcester. I
shall endeavour to reach the Convent before the hour when they leave
for Vespers."

"May I beg, my lord, that you speak a word of especial kindness to old
Antony, whose heart will be sore at my departure? I had thought to bid
her be silent concerning the vision; but as she declares the shining
Knight was Saint George or Saint Michael, the nuns, in their devout
simplicity, will doubtless hold the vision to have been merely symbolic
of my removal to 'higher service.'"

"I will seek old Antony," said the Bishop, "and speak with her alone."

"Father," said Mora, with deep emotion, "during all these years, you
have been most good to me; kind beyond words; patient always. I fear I
ofttimes tried you by being too firmly set on my own will and way.
But, I pray you to believe, I ever valued your counsel and could scarce
have lived without your friendship. Last night, on first entering the
Castle, I fear I spoke wildly and acted strangely. I was sore
overwrought. I came in, out of the night, not knowing whom I sh