"Now I happen to know that the Knight daily spends the hour of Vespers
in the Cathedral crypt, kneeling before the shrine of Saint Oswald
beside a stretcher whereon lies one of his men, much bandaged about the
head, swathed in linen, and covered with a cloak. The Knight has my
leave to lay the sick man before the holy relics, daily, for five days.
I asked of him what he expected would result from so doing. He made
answer: 'A great recovery and restoration.'"
The Bishop paused, as if meditating upon the words. Then he slowly
repeated them, taking evident pleasure in each syllable.
"A great recovery and restoration," said the Bishop, and smiled.
"Well? The blessed relics can do much. They may avail to mend a
broken head. Could they mend a broken heart? I know not. That were,
of the two, the greater miracle."
The Bishop glanced at the Prioress.
Her face was averted.
"Well, my daughter, matters being as they are, you may inform Sister
Mary Seraphine that, should she chance to lose her way among the
hundred and forty-two columns, when passing through the crypt after
Vespers, she will find a Knight, who will doubtless know what to do
next. If he can contrive to take her safely from the Cathedral and out
of the Precincts, she will have to ride with him to Warwick, where a
priest will be in readiness to wed them. But it would be well that
Sister Mary Seraphine should have some practice in mounting and riding,
before she goes on so adventurous a journey.
Pages:
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137