"My lord, my heart fails me when I think to-day of my empty cell, and
of the sore perplexity of my nuns. How soon will it be possible that
you see them and put the matter right, by giving the Holy Father's
message?"
"So soon as you are wed, my daughter, I ride back to Worcester. I
shall endeavour to reach the Convent before the hour when they leave
for Vespers."
"May I beg, my lord, that you speak a word of especial kindness to old
Antony, whose heart will be sore at my departure? I had thought to bid
her be silent concerning the vision; but as she declares the shining
Knight was Saint George or Saint Michael, the nuns, in their devout
simplicity, will doubtless hold the vision to have been merely symbolic
of my removal to 'higher service.'"
"I will seek old Antony," said the Bishop, "and speak with her alone."
"Father," said Mora, with deep emotion, "during all these years, you
have been most good to me; kind beyond words; patient always. I fear I
ofttimes tried you by being too firmly set on my own will and way.
But, I pray you to believe, I ever valued your counsel and could scarce
have lived without your friendship. Last night, on first entering the
Castle, I fear I spoke wildly and acted strangely. I was sore
overwrought. I came in, out of the night, not knowing whom I should
find in the hall chamber; and--for a moment, my lord, for one wild,
foolish moment--I took you not for yourself but for another.
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