falleth she a-saying unto herself of
Dan Chaucer's brave Romaunt of The Flower and the Leaf?"

"Surely, no, Madam."

"Then what doth she?"

"She cometh unto her," said Maude, immediately adding, in a
matter-of-fact way, "without she should send Mistress Sybil or some
other."

"Good. Then arede [inform] me wherefore thou shouldst fall a-saying the
Credo when thou wouldst send word of thy need unto God, any more than
Dame Joan should fall a-saying the Romaunt?"

"But God heareth us, and conceiveth us, Madam," said Maude timidly, "and
Dame Agnes no doth."

"Truth, my maid. Therein faileth my parable. But setting this aside,
tell me,--how shall the Credo give to wit thy need?"

Maude cogitated for a minute in silence. Then she answered--

"No shall it, Madam."

"Then wherefore not speak thy lack straightway?"

Maude was silent, but not because she was stupid.

"My maid, what saith the Credo? When thus thou prayest, dost thou aught
save look up to Heaven, and say, `God, I believe in Thee'? So far as it
goeth, good. But seest not that an' thou shouldst say to me, `Madam, I
crede and trust you,' thou shouldst have asked nought from me--have
neither confessed need, ne presented petition? The Credo is matter said
to men--not to God. Were it not better to say, `Lord, I love Thee?' Or
best of all, `Lord, love Thou me?'"

"I wis, Madam, that our Lord loveth the saints," said Maude in a low
voice.

She felt very much in the condition graphically described by John Bunyan
as "tumbled up and down in one's mind."

"Ah, child!" was the Countess's answer, "they be lost sheep whom Christ
seeketh. And whoso Christ setteth out to seek shall, sooner or later,
find the way to Him."

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Note 1. Harl. Ms. 4016, folios 1, 2.

Note 2. The "Holy Grail" was one of the most singular of Romish
superstitions. A glass vessel, supported by a foot, was shown to the
people as the cup in which Christ gave the wine to His disciples at the
Last Supper; and they were taught, not only that Joseph of Arimathea had
caught the blood from His side in the same vessel, but that he and Mary
Magdalene, sailing on Joseph's shirt, had brought over the relic from
Palestine to Glastonbury. "The Quest of the Saint Graal" was the
highest achievement of the Knights of the Round Table.

CHAPTER FOUR.

IN THE SCRIPTORIUM.

"There are days of deepest sorrow