And she hastily replied, "In my heart I am, most truly; and you are a
very lucky maid, my Margery, for instead of only one mother you have two:
me, here below, to care for you and foster you, and the other up among
the angels above, looking down on you and beseeching the all-gracious
Virgin who is so nigh to her, to keep your little heart pure, and to
preserve you from all ill; nay, perhaps she herself is wearing a glory
and a heavenly crown. Look at her face." And Cousin Maud held up the
lamp so that the light fell on a large picture. My eyes beheld the
lovely portrait in front of me, and meseemed it looked at me with a deep
gaze and stretched out loving arms to me. I sat up in my bed; the
feelings which filled my little heart overflowed my lips, and I said in a
whisper: "Oh, Cousin Maud! Surely my mammy might kiss me for once, and
fondle me as Mistress Stromer does her little Clare."

Cousin Maud set the lamp on the table, and without a word she lifted me
out of bed and held me up quite close to the face of the picture; and I
understood. My lips softly touched the red lips on the canvas; and, as I
was all the happier, I fancied that my mother in Heaven must be glad too.

Then my cousin sighed: "Well, well!" and murmured other words to
herself; she laid me in the bed again, tucked the coverlet tightly round
me as I loved to have it, gave me another kiss, waited till I had settled
my head on the pillow, and whispered: "Now go to sleep and dream of your
sainted mother."

She quitted the room; but she had left the lamp, and as soon as I was
alone I looked once more at the picture, which showed me my mother in
right goodly array. She had a rose on her breast, her golden fillet
looked like the crown of the Queen of Heaven, and in her robe of rich,
stiff brocade she was like some great Saint. But what seemed to me more