nt watched the dawn break--a silver rift in the purple sky.

His heart was filled with indescribable peace and gladness.

It meant far more to him that his bride should have come to him in
obedience to a divine vision, than if his love had mastered her will,
and she had yielded despite her own conscience.

Also he knew that at last his patient self-restraint had won its
reward. The heart of a nun feared him no longer. The woman he loved
was as wholly his as she had ever been.

As the sun began to gild the horizon, flecking the sky with little rosy
clouds, Hugh turned into the turret archway, went down the steps, and
sought his chamber. No sooner was he stretched upon his couch, than,
for very joy, he fell asleep.

But--beyond the dark fir woods, and over the hills on the horizon, four
horsemen, having ridden out from a wayside inn before the dawn,
watched, as they rode, the widening of that silver rift in the sky, and
the golden tint, heralding the welcome appearance of the sun.

So soundly slept Hugh d'Argent that, three hours later, be did not wake
when a loud knocking on the outer gates roused the porter; nor, though
his casement opened on to the courtyard, did he hear the noisy clatter
of hoofs, as Brother Philip, with his escort of three mounted men, rode
in.

Not until a knocking came on his own door did the Knight awake and,
leaping from his bed, see--as in a strange, wild dream--Brother Philip,
dusty and haggard, standing on the threshold, the Bishop's letter in
his hand.

CHAPTER XLV

THE SONG OF THE THRUSH

The morning sun already poured into her room, when Mora opened her
eyes, waking suddenly with that complete wide-awakeness which follows
upon profound and dreamless slumber.

Even as she woke, her heart said: "Our bridal day! The day I give
myself to Hugh! The day he leads me home."

She stretched herself at full length upon the couch, her hands crossed
upon her breast, and let the delicious joy of her love sweep over her,
from the soles of her feet to the crown of her head.

The world without lay bathed in sunshine; her heart within was flooded
by the radiance of this new and perfect realisation of her love for
Hugh.

She lay quite still while it enveloped her.

Ten days ago, our Lady had given her to Hugh.

Eight days ago, the Bishop, voicing the Church, had done the same.

But to-day she--she herself--was going to give herself to her lover.

This was the true bridal!