off.) The man presently ushered us into a fine large room, whither my
child had been led when taken out of her prison. The maid had already
dressed her, and she looked lovely as an angel. She wore the chain of gold
with the effigy round her neck again, _item_, the garland in her hair, and
she smiled as we entered, saying, "I am ready!" Whereat the reverend
Martinus was sorely angered and shocked, saying, "Ah, thou ungodly woman,
let no one tell me further of thine innocence! Thou art about to go to the
holy sacrament, and from thence to death, and thou flauntest as a child of
this world about to go to the dancing-room." Whereupon she answered and
said, "Be not wroth with me, dear godfather, because that I would go into
the presence of my good King of Heaven in the same garments wherein I
appeared some time since before the good King of Sweden. For it
strengthens my weak and trembling flesh, seeing I hope that my righteous
Saviour will in like manner take me to his heart, and will also hand his
effigy upon my neck when I stretch out my hands to him in all humility,
and recite my _carmen_, saying, 'O Lamb of God, innocently slain upon the
cross, give my thy peace, O Jesu!'" These words softened my dear gossip,
and he spoke, saying, "Ah, child, child, I thought to have reproached
thee, but thou hast constrained me to weep with thee: art thou, then,
indeed innocent?" "Verily," said she, "to you, my honoured godfather, I
may now own that I am innocent, as truly as I trust that God will aid me
in my last hour through Jesus Christ. Amen."

When the maid heard this, she made such outcries that I repented that I
had suffered her to be present, and we all had enough to do to comfort her
from the word of God till she became somewhat more tranquil; and when this
was done, my dear gossip thus spake to my child: "If, indeed, thou dost so
steadfastly maintain thine innocence, it is my duty, according to my
conscience as a priest, to inform the worshipful court thereof"; and he
was about to leave the room. But she withheld him, and fell upon the