Not until she at last sought her chamber and knelt before the shrine of the Madonna, did she realise that her justification in leaving the Convent was gone, if there had been no vision.

“Blessed Virgin,” she pleaded, with clasped hands uplifted; “I, who have been twice deceived—­tricked into entering the Cloister, and tricked into leaving it—­I beseech thee, by the sword which pierced through thine own soul also, grant me now a vision which shall be, in very deed, a VISION OF TRUTH.”

CHAPTER L

THE SILVER SHIELD

The Bishop sat at the round table in the centre of the banqueting hall, sipping water from his purple goblet while the Knight dined.

They were not alone.  Lay-brethren, with sandalled feet, moved noiselessly to and fro; and Brother Philip stood immovable behind the Reverend Father’s chair.

The Bishop discoursed pleasantly of many things, watching Hugh the while, and blessing the efficacy of the bath.  It had, undoubtedly, cleansed away much beside travel-stains.

The thunder-cloud had lifted from the Knight’s brow; his eyes, though tired, were no longer sombre; his manner was more than usually courteous and deferential, as if to atone for the defiant brusquerie of his first appearance.

He listened in absolute silence to the Bishop’s gentle flow of conversation; but this was a trait the Bishop had observed in him before; and, after all, a lapse into silence could be easily understood when a man had travelled far, on meagre fare, and found himself seated at a well-spread board.

Yet the Knight ate but sparingly of the good cheer, so lavishly provided; and the famous Italian wine, he scarce touched at all.

The meal over, the Bishop dismissed Brother Philip and the attendant monks, and, rising, went to his chair near the hearth, motioning the Knight to the one opposite.

Thus they found themselves seated again as they had sat on the night of the arrival of the Pope’s messenger; save that now no fire burned upon the hearth; no candles were lighted on the table.  Instead, the summer sunshine poured in through open casements.

“Well, my dear Hugh,” said the Bishop, “suppose you now tell me the reason which brings you hither.  It must surely be a matter of grave importance which could cause so devoted a lover and husband to leave his bride, and go a five days’ journey from her, within two weeks of the bridal day.”

“I have come, my lord,” said the Knight, speaking slowly and with evident effort, “to learn from your lips the entire truth concerning that vision which caused the Prioress of the White Ladies to hold herself free to renounce her vows, leave her Nunnery, and give herself in marriage where she had been betrothed before entering the Cloister.”

“Tut!” said the Bishop.  “The White Ladies have no Prioress.  Mother Sub-Prioress doth exercise the functions of that office until such time as the Prior and myself shall make a fresh appointment.  We are not here to talk of prioresses, my son, but of that most noble and gracious lady who, by the blessing of God and our Lady’s especial favour, is now your wife.  See to it that you continue to deserve your great good fortune.”