"Thou hast hid these things from the wise
and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes"; and here, the Bishop
himself, half amused, half incredulous: "An ancient babe! Truly, a
most wise and prudent babe." Then the scene outside the Prioress's
cell when the Bishop unlocked the door; the full confession and the
touching death of old Mary Antony.
To it all the Knight listened silently, shading his face with his right
hand.
"Therefore, my son," concluded Symon of Worcester, "when on a sudden I
remembered our conversation on the lawn, and that I had told you of my
belief that the old lay-sister knew of your visit to the Convent and
had seen you in Mora's cell, I hastened to send you a warning, lest you
should, unwittingly, mention this fact to Mora, and raise a doubt in
her mind concerning the genuineness of the vision, thus destroying her
peace, and threatening her happiness and your own. Hath she already
told you of the vision?"
Still shielding his face the Knight spoke, very low:
"The evening before the messenger arrived, bringing your letter, my
lord, Mora told me of the vision."
"Said you aught concerning my words to you?"
"So soon as she mentioned the name of Mary Antony, I said that I seemed
to recall that you, my lord, had told me she alone knew of my visit to
the Convent. But Mora at once said nay, that it was she herself who
had told me so, even while I stood undiscovered in her cell; but that
afterward the lay-sister had confessed herself mistaken.
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