became the confessor of the whole family, isolated as they were from
the offices of the Church, Sherburne being their nearest neighbour
who professed the true faith. Of course, you are aware that facts
revealed in confession are sealed as in the grave; but I learnt
enough of Bridget's character to be convinced that I had to do with
no common woman; one powerful for good as for evil. I believe that I
was able to give her spiritual assistance from time to time, and that
she looked upon me as a servant of that Holy Church, which has such
wonderful power of moving men's hearts, and relieving them of the
burden of their sins. I have known her cross the moors on the
wildest nights of storm, to confess and be absolved; and then she
would return, calmed and subdued, to her daily work about her
mistress, no one witting where she had been during the hours that
most passed in sleep upon their beds. After her daughter's
departure--after Mary's mysterious disappearance--I had to impose
many a long penance, in order to wash away the sin of impatient
repining that was fast leading her into the deeper guilt of
blasphemy. She set out on that long journey of which you have
possibly heard--that fruitless journey in search of Mary--and during
her absence, my superiors ordered my return to my former duties at
Antwerp, and for many years I heard no more of Bridget.

"Not many months ago, as I was passing homewards in the evening,
along one of the streets near St. Jacques, leading into the Meer
Straet, I saw a woman sitting crouched up under the shrine of the
Holy Mother of Sorrows. Her hood was drawn over her head, so that
the shadow caused by the light of the lamp above fell deep over her
face; her hands were clasped round her knees. It was evident that
she was some one in hopeless trouble, and as such it was my duty to
stop and speak. I naturally addressed her first in Flemish,