"Where is your wedding-ring, my child?" he asked her, when he had

noticed that it was not where he had put it.

"Lord, it is here," said she, blushing again. She drew from her neck a

fine gold chain whereon were the ring and another trinket which beamed

like glass.

Is that where you would have it, Isoult?"

"Yes, lord," she answered. "For this present it must be there."

"As you will," said Prosper. "Let us break our fast and make ready,

for we must be on our journey before we see the sun." Isoult went into

the cottage as Brother Bonaccord came out with good-morning all over

his puckered face.

Isoult brought bread and goats'-milk cheese, and they broke their fast

sitting on the threshold, while the sun slowly rose behind the house

and lit up the ground before them--a broken moorland with heather-

clumps islanded in pools of black water. The white forest mist hid

every distance and the air was shrewdly cold; but Prosper and the

friar gossiped cheerfully as they munched.

"We friars," said Brother Bonaccord, "have been accused of a foible

for wedding-rings. I grant you I had rather marry a healthy couple

than leave them aching, and that the sooner there's a christening the

better I am pleased. Another soul for Christ to save; another point

against the devil, thinks I! I have heard priests say otherwise: they

will christen if they must, and marry if it is not too late; but they

would sooner bury you any day. Go to! They live in the world (which I

vow is an excellent place), and eat and drink of it; yet they shut

their eyes, pretending all the time that they are not there, but

rather in skyey mansions. If this is not a fit and proper place for us

men, why did God Almighty take six days a-thinking before He bid it

out of the cooking pot? For a gift to the devil? Not He! 'Stop

bubbling, you rogue,' says He; 'out of the pot with you and on to the

platter, that these gentlemen and ladies of mine may cease sucking

their fingers and dip in the dish!' Pooh! Look at your mother Mary and

your little brother Gesulino. There was a wedding for you, there was a

sacring! Beloved sons are ye all, young men; full of grace are ye,

young women! God be good, who told me to couple ye and keep the game

a-going! Take my blessing, brother, and the sleek and tidy maid you

have gotten to wife; I must be on the road. I am for Hauterive out of

the hanging Abbot's country. He'll be itching about that new gallows

of his, thinking how I should look up there."

He kissed them both very heartily and trudged out into the mist,

waving his hand.




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