his anguish.

At once the Bishop resolved to do his part.

"My dear Hugh," he said, "you did well to come to me in order to
consult over these plans before taking the irrevocable step which
should set them in motion. I, alone, could reinstate your wife as
Prioress of the White Ladies; moreover my continued presence here would
be essential, to secure her comfort in that reinstatement. And I shall
not be here. I am shortly leaving Worcester, leaving this land and
returning to my beauteous Italy. The Holy Father has been pleased to
tell me privately of high preferment shortly to be offered me. I have
to-day decided to accept it. I return to Italy a Cardinal of Holy
Church."

Hugh rose to his feet and bowed. An immense scorn blazed in his eyes.

"My Lord High Cardinal, I congratulate you! That a cardinal's hat
should tempt you from your cathedral, from this noble English city,
from your people who love you, from the land of your birth, may perhaps
be understood. But that, for the sake of Church preferment, however
high, you should willingly depart, leaving Mora in sorrow, Mora in
difficulty, Mora needing your help----"

The Knight paused, amazed. The Bishop, who seldom laughed aloud, was
laughing. Yet no! The Bishop, who never wept, seemed near to weeping.

The scales fell from Hugh's eyes, even before the Bishop spoke. He
realised a love as great as his own.

"Ah, foolish lad!" said Symon of Worcester; "bent upon thine own ways,
and easy to deceive. When I spoke of going, I said it for her sake,
hoping the prospect of my absence might hold you from your purpose.
But now truly am I convinced that you are bent upon risking your own
happiness, and imperilling hers. Therefore will I devise some means of
detaining the Holy Father's messenger, so that my answer need not be
given until two weeks are past. You will reach Mora, at longest, five
days from this. As soon as she decides what she will do, send word to
me by a fast messenger. Should she elect to return to the Nunnery,
state when and where, upon the road, I am to meet her. Her habit as
Prioress, and her cross of office, I have here. The former you
returned to me, from the hostel; the latter I found in her cell. You
must take them with you. If she returns, she must return fully robed.
If, on the other hand, she should decide to remain with you; if--as may
God grant--she is content, and requires no help from me, send me this
news by messenger.