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Her father hath sent her horses, and servants to conduct her on the road. They wait without; and this," turning to the seneschal," is Adam Henred, seneschal of the castle."

Adam Henred bent lowly to the ground, which the abbess slightly acknowledged; and then, to conceal the vexation she felt at her charge being thus suddenly withdrawn, she turned to where the light fell from a high window at the opposite side of the room, and busied herself in deciphering the letter she had received. Meahwhile Adam Henred, by Ranulph's orders, disappeared noiselessly from the parlour, and went in search of the servants, who had remained in care of the treasures destined to propitiate the abbess, and, through her, the Blessed Virgin, and whole army of Saints.

""Tis well," observed the Lady Isolda, at length coming forward, and then for a moment leaving the room, she struck twice upon the door of the cell nearest to it, and then returned to her apartment.

"Let the Lady Rosamond and Sister Joan immediately be called," she said to

the attendant sister who had answered the

summons.

In a very few minutes Rosamond, pale as death, and followed by Joan, whose small black eyes twinkled with inconceivable delight, entered the parlour. The abbess, who had employed the interval in collecting her thoughts, and who piqued herself upon her impressive eloquence, drew up her portly form to its full height, and, assuming her most severe countenance, prepared to deliver to those creatures of the flesh about to rush into the temptations of the world a most overwhelming discourse; but when her eyes met those of Rosamond, full of tears, for the anxiety of the poor girl, as yet ignorant of all, was beyond endurance, her courage failed her: the hardness of her heart gave way as she looked upon the child so long sheltered beneath her roof, and she could only stretch out her hands, as if in benediction, while she murmured, "Rosamond-you are going.”

"My father-oh! tell me of my father," cried Rosamond, in an agony of terror, and throwing herself upon her knees before the abbess.

"He lives! and he is returned," said Ranulph, hastily; for he could not bear the suffering he saw upon the face of the terrified child.

"Thank God!" she exclaimed with fervour; "and thanks to thee, sir knight," she added.

She could say no more; for, in turning towards Ranulph, her senses forsook her, and she sank back with her head against the grating. Joan hastened to support her in a little time she revived, and listened, as she smiled through her tears, to the orders that had been sent to her for her journey. As she was to depart instantly, she soon retired with Joan to take off the dress of the novice, with which she could not appear in the world. And then, as if to comfort those who remained behind, Sir Ranulph ventured to remind the Lady Isolda that he had not yet fulfilled his orders, but must forthwith deliver to her the presents intrusted to his care. The lady abbess graciously signified her assent to the treasures being produced. Adam Henred, who had returned, brought in package after package, and, as he severally

displayed the contents, failed not to expatiate upon their merits and properties, much after the manner of an itinerant showman. A more curiously useless set of things was surely never collected, although some of them had doubtless cost large sums, and all acquired an extraordinary value from the great difficulty that existed in transporting goods from one country to another.

"Behold!" said Adam, carefully holding up what appeared to be a small lump of coloured glass, "this is a hair-a single hair of the Blessed Virgin's head. It is encased in solid amethyst, and comes direct from the Holy City. It was bought by the Lord Clifford from a goodly company of palmers, who were carrying it westward."

The lady abbess crossed herself as she took the blessed relic from the hands of the seneschal; and Adam went on.

"This is the skull of the blessed martyr, St. Hildeverus, crucified by the Infidels after the battle of Antioch," and he laid upon the table a skull, in which the teeth had been replaced by pearls and the eyes by diamonds of a magnificent size, which

glittered horribly in their drear abode. Here," continued he, "is a jar of water from the river Jordan, and a branch of palm from the Holy Mount. These are stuffs of silver and stuffs of gold from Damascus, for the robe of our Blessed Lady; and here are many spoils taken in battle from the Infidel dogs,-spoils of silver and gold; bracelets, and rings for the ears. And this is a purse of pure gold pieces, sent by the Lord Clifford for masses and prayers, that he may be speedily cured of his wounds."

Adam Henred drew himself up at the side of the door, like one who had finished his part; and the Lady Isolda, pleased beyond measure at this wonderful accession of treasures, and by the interest it betokened in the mind of her patron, said to Ranulph,—

"Sir knight, I thank thee in the name of the holy sisterhood of Clairvaux. In giving to one, thou hast given to all; for the honour of our Blessed Lady and Saint Bernard is equally dear to all. Say then to Walter Lord de Clifford, that the poor nuns of Clairvaux greet him well;-they

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