roved that the Dauphiness had called up her sisters an hour before, and
taken them across the chace which surrounded the castle to hear mass at
a convent of Benedictine nuns.

It was perfectly safe, though only a tirewoman and a page followed the
Dauphiness, and only Annis attended her two sisters, for the grounds
were enclosed, and King Rene's domains were far better ruled and more
peaceful than those of the princes who despised him. It was an exquisite
spring morning, with grass silvery with dew and enamelled with flowers,
birds singing ecstatically on every branch, squirrels here and there
racing up a trunk. Margaret was in joyous spirits, and almost danced
between her sisters. Eleanor was amazed at the luxuriant beauty of the
scene, and could not admire enough. Jean, though at first a little cross
at the early summons, could not but be infected with their delight, and
the three laughed and frolicked together with almost childish glee in
the delight of their content.

The great, gentle-eyed, long-horned kine were being driven in at the
convent-yard to be milked by the lay-sisters; at another entrance,
peasants, beggars, and sick were congregating; the bell from the
lace-works spire rang out, and the Dauphiness led the way to the
gateway, where, at her knock on the iron-studded door, a lay-sister
looked through the wicket.

'Good sister, here are some early pilgrims to the shrine of St.
Scolastique,' she began.

'To the other gate,' said the portress hastily. Margaret's face twinkled
with fun. 'I wad fain take a turn with the beggar crew,' she said to
her sisters in Scotch; 'but it might cause too great an outcry if I were
kenned. Commend me to the Mere St. Antoine,' she added in French, 'and
tell her that the Dauphiness would fain hear mass with her.'

The portress cast an anxious doubtful glance, but being apparently
convinced, cried out for pardon, while hastily unlocking her door, and
sending a message to the Abbess.

As they entered the cloistered quadrangle the nuns in black procession
were on their way to mass, but turned aside to receive their visitors.
Margaret knelt for a moment for the blessing and kiss of the Abbess,
then greeted the nun whom she had mentioned, but begged for no further
ceremony, and then was led into church.

It was a brief festival mass, and was not really over before she, with
a restlessness of which her sisters began to be conscious, began to rise
and make her way out. A nun fo