other ambrose reproving him for this

blasphemous wish, he did hold the said brother face downwards

over the piscatorium or fish-pond for a space during which the

said brother was able to repeat a pater and four aves for the

better fortifying of his soul against impending death."

there was a buzz and murmur among the white-frocked brethren at

this grave charge; but the abbot held up his long quivering hand.

"what then?" said he.

"item, that between nones and vespers on the feast of james the

less the said brother john was observed upon the brockenhurst

road, near the spot which is known as hatchett's pond in converse

with a person of the other sex, being a maiden of the name of

mary sowley, the daughter of the king's verderer. item, that

after sundry japes and jokes the said brother john did lift up

the said mary sowley and did take, carry, and convey her across a

stream, to the infinite relish of the devil and the exceeding

detriment of his own soul, which scandalous and wilful falling

away was witnessed by three members of our order."

a dead silence throughout the room, with a rolling of heads and

upturning of eyes, bespoke the pious horror of the community.

the abbot drew his gray brows low over his fiercely questioning

eyes.

"who can vouch for this thing?" he asked.

"that can i," answered the accuser. "so too can brother

porphyry, who was with me, and brother mark of the spicarium, who

hath been so much stirred and inwardly troubled by the sight that

he now lies in a fever through it."

"and the woman?" asked the abbot. "did she not break into

lamentation and woe that a brother should so demean himself?"

"nay, she smiled sweetly upon him and thanked him. i can vouch

it and so can brother porphyry."

"canst thou?" cried the abbot, in a high, tempestuous tone.

"canst thou so? hast forgotten that the five-and-thirtieth rule

of the order is that in the presence of a woman the face should

be ever averted and the eyes cast down? hast forgot it, i say?

if your eyes were upon your sandals, how came ye to see this

smile of which ye prate? a week in your cells, false brethren, a

week of rye-bread and lentils, with double lauds and double

matins, may help ye to remembrance of the laws under which ye

live."

at this sudden outflame of wrath the two witnesses sank their

faces on to their chests, and sat as men crushed. the abbot

turned his angry eyes away from them and bent them upon the

accused, who met his searching gaze with a firm and composed

face.

"what hast thou to say, brother john, upon these weighty things

which are urged against you?"

"little enough, good father, little enough," said the novice,

speaking english with a broad west saxon drawl. the brothers,

who were english to a man, pricked up their ears at the sound of

the homely and yet unfamiliar speech; but the abbot flushed red

with anger, and struck his hand upon the oaken arm of his chair.

"what talk is this?" he cried. "is this a tongue to be used

within the walls of an old and well-famed monastery? but grace

and learning have ever gone hand in hand, and when one is lost it

is needless to look for the other."

"i know not about that," said brother john. "i know only that

the words come kindly to my mouth, for it was the speech of my

fathers before me. under your favor, i shall either use it now

or hold my peace."

the abbot patted his foot and nodded his head, as one who passes

a point but does not forget it.

"for the matter of the ale," continued brother john, "i had come

in hot from the fields and had scarce got the taste of the thing

before mine eye lit upon the bottom of the pot. it may be, too,

that i spoke somewhat shortly concerning the bran and the beans,

the same being poor provender and unfitted for a man of my

inches. it is true also that i did lay my hands upon this jack-

fool of a brother ambrose, though, as you can see, i did him

little scathe. as regards the maid, too, it is true that i did

heft her over the stream, she having on her hosen and shoon,

whilst i had but my wooden sandals, which could take no hurt

from the waver. i should have thought shame upon my manhood, as

well as my monkhood, if i had held back my hand from her." he

glanced around as he spoke with the half-amused look which he had

worn during the whole proceedings.

"there is no need to go further," said the abbot. "he has

confessed to all. it only remains for me to portion out the

punishment which is due to his evil conduct."

he rose, and the two long lines of brothers followed his example,

looking sideways with scared faces at the angry prelate.

"john of hordle," he thundered, "you have shown yourself during

the two months of your novitiate to be a recreant monk, and one

who is unworthy to wear the white garb which is the outer sym