But a fragrance of roses and lilies still lingered in the chamber.

The blessèd Virgin smiled upon the Babe.

And there was peace in the heart of the Prioress. Her long vigil, her
hours of prayer, had won for her the sense of a calm certainty of
coming victory.

Strong in that certainty, she bent, and gently kissed the little feet
of the holy Babe.


Then, as was her wont, she sounded the bell which called the entire
community to arise, and to begin a new day.




CHAPTER VIII

ON THE WINGS OF THE STORM

In the afternoon of that day, Mary Antony awaited, in the cloisters,
the return of the White Ladies from Vespers. Twenty only, had gone;
and, fearful lest she should make mistake with the unusual number, the
old lay-sister spent the time of waiting in counting the twenty peas
afresh, passing them back and forth from one hand to the other.

Mother Sub-Prioress was still unable to leave her bed.