ul; a mean, base deed; and he
that did it, except God touch his heart, will never be a great man."

"But, Father Wilfred! I saw it--it was the Lord Edward; and he is great
even now, and like to be greater."

"Mark my words, lad,--he will never be a great man."

Bertram looked as if he thought the proposition incomprehensible.

"Well, the day thereafter," pursued Wilfred, "I was aware, in the very
same place, of other two lads--bravely clad, though not so brave as he--
bearing betwixt them a pail of water, for the easement of an halt and
aged wife that might scarce lift it from the ground. And I heard the
one say to the other, as they came by this lattice,--`How if some of our
fellows see us now?'--with his answer returned,--`Be it so; we do no
wrong.' And I say, boy, that was a great deed, the deed of a great
soul; and I look for both those lads to be great men, though I verily
think the greater to have been he that was in no wise shamed of his
deed."

Bertram's face was crimson, for he very well knew that on this occasion
the heroes of Wilfred's adventure were himself and his friend, Hugh
Calverley. He remembered, moreover, that he had felt ashamed, and
afraid to be seen, and had taken his share in the act, partly from his
own kindness of heart, but partly from a wish to retain Hugh's good
opinion.

"Shall I tell thee another tale, lad?"

"Prithee, Father, so do."

"Touching greatness in a woman?"

"By my Lady Saint Mary! can a woman be great?"

"Methinks, Bertram, _she_ was," said Wilfred quietly, "But it was not of
Saint Mary, nor of any other saint, that I had intent to tell thee, but
of one whom no Pope ever took the pain to canonise, and who yet, as
methinks, was the greatest woman of whom ever I heard. It may perchance
astound thee somewhat, to learn that I am not purely an English man. My
mother came from far over seas,--from Dutchland, [Germany.] in the
dominions of the Duke's Grace of Austria. And when she was a young
maid, at home in her country, that befel of which I am about to tell
thee. It happed that in the Court of the Emperor's Majesty, [Note 1]
which at that time was Albright [Albert] the First, was a young noble,
by name Rudolph, Count von der Wart. My mother was handmaid unto my
Lady Gertrude his wife, and she spake right well of her mistress. A
young gentle lady, said she, meek and soft of speech, loving and
obedient unto her lord, and in especial shamefaced, shrinking from an