The Forest Lovers

The Abbess smiled at the young man's judicial airs, which very ill

concealed the elevation of his mind. She only said that she would

gladly help him in the honourable task he had set himself, and doubted

not but that the girl would prove a good and useful servant to the

convent. But she added-"It is easy to see, sir, that as a Christian your part is of the

Church militant. I would remind you that a nun is not made in a year."

"I mentioned a year because it was a long time, and for the sake of an

example of what I had designed," said Prosper calmly. "However, if it

takes longer, and you think well of it, I shall not complain."

"And what does the girl say?" the Abbess inquired. "For some sort of

vocation is necessary for the religious life, you must understand."

"I have not yet spoken to Isoult about it," he replied. "She will do

what I tell her. She is a very good girl."

"I think I should speak to her myself," said the Abbess, not without

decision.

"So you shall," Prosper agreed; "but it will be better that I prepare

her. If you will allow me I will do so at once, as I should leave

early to-morrow."

"There goes a young man who should climb high," said the Lady Abbess,

as her guest paid his respects.

Prosper went into the cloister, and found Isoult sitting with the

mistress of the novices and her girls who were at work there. She

looked tired and constrained, but lit up when he came in, firing a

girl's signals in her cheeks. As for her eyes, the moment Prosper

appeared they never wavered from him.

He excused himself to the nun, saying that he had business with

Isoult, which by leave of the Abbess he might transact in the guest

chamber. One of the novices conducted him; Isoult followed meekly.

Once alone with her, Prosper sat down by the fire and told Isoult to

fetch a stool and sit by him. She did as she was bid, sat at his knee,

folded her hands in her lap, and waited for him to begin, looking

thoughtfully into the fire. Prosper laid a hand upon her shoulder.

"Isoult," he said, "We have got our sanctuary, as you see, and for all

that appears need neither have sought nor claimed it. We have had no

pursuit worthy the name. It is evident to me that they have calculated

the deserts of Master Galors at Malbank, and put it at our figure.

Nevertheless, I am glad to be at Gracedieu, for I had decided upon it

before ever we met and drubbed that monk. When I saved you from being

hanged I saved your body; now I shall think of your soul's health,

which (the Church tells us) is far more precious. For it would seem

that a man can do without a body, but by no means without a soul. Now,

I have married you, Isoult, and by that act saved your body; but I

have not as yet done any more, for though I have heard many things of

marriage, I never heard that it was good for the soul. Moreover, for

marriage to be tolerable, I suppose love is necessary,"--Isoult

started,--"and that we certainly know nothing about it." Isoult

shivered very slightly, so slightly that Prosper did not notice it. "I

have thought a great deal about you, my child," he continued, "since I

married you, and something also of myself, my destinies, and duties as

a knight and good Christian. I have decided to go at once to High

March, where I shall find the Countess Isabel. She, being an old

friend of my family's, will no doubt take me into her service. I shall

fight for her of course, I shall win honour and renown, very likely a

fief. With that behind me I shall go to Starning and trounce my

brother Malise, baron or no baron. I shall bring him to his knees in a

cold sweat, and then I shall say--`Get up, you ass, and learn not to

meddle again with a gentleman, and son of a gentleman.' "In addition to that business I have a certain matter to inquire into

concerning a lady whom I met in the purlieus of this forest, and a

dead man she had with her. I do not like the looks of that case.

Certainly I must inquire into it, and do what pertains. There may be

other things needing my direction, but if there are I have forgotten

them for the moment.