all. When was it that I heard that
old tale, that sounded even then true to my ears? for we have not been
punished for nought, my son; that is not God's way. It comes across my
memory somehow, mingled in a wonderful manner with the purple of the
pines on the hillside, with the fragrance of them borne from far towards
me; for know, my children, that in times past, long, long past now, we
did an evil deed, for our forefathers, who have been dead now, and
forgiven so long ago, once mad with rage at some defeat from their
enemies, fired a church, and burned therein many women who had fled
thither for refuge; and from that time a curse cleaves to us. Only they
say, that at the last we may be saved from utter destruction by a woman;
I know not. God grant it may be so.'

Then she said, 'Father, brother, and you, Siur, come with me to the
chapel; I wish you to witness me make an oath.'

Her face was pale, her lips were pale, her golden hair was pale; but not
pale, it seemed, from any sinking of blood, but from gathering of
intensest light from somewhere, her eyes perhaps, for they appeared to
burn inwardly.

They followed the sweeping of her purple robe in silence through the low
heavy-beamed passages: they entered the little chapel, dimly lighted by
the moon that night, as it shone through one of the three arrow-slits of
windows at the east end. There was little wealth of marble there, I
trow; little time had those fighting men for stone-smoothing. Albeit,
one noted many semblances of flowers even in the dim half-light, and here
and there the faces of BRAVE men, roughly cut enough, but grand, because
the hand of the carver had followed his loving heart. Neither was there
gold wanting to the altar and its canopy; and above the low pillars of
the nave hung banners, taken from the foe by the men of that house,
gallant with gold and jewels.

She walked up to the altar and took the blessed book of the Gospels from
the left side of it, then knelt in prayer for a moment or two, while the
three men stood behind her reverently. When she rose she made a sign to
them, and from their scabbards gleamed three swords in the moonlight;
then, while they held them aloft, and pointed toward the altar, she
opened the book at the page whereon was painted Christ the Lord dying on
the cross, pale against the gleaming gold: she said, in a firm voice,
'Christ God, who diedst for all men, so help me, as I refuse not life,
happiness, even ho