y dear sisters, I recommend to you our church, and that you
pray for my poor soul."

At these words, tears in great abundance welled from all eyes, and the
heart's fountain of the convent was moved. This weeping lasted long, and
none of the company spoke.

After some time, the Prioress, who was wise and good, spoke for all the
convent, and said;

"Madam, your illness--what it is, God, from whom nothing is hidden,
alone knows--vexes us greatly, and there is not one of us who would not
do all in her power to aid your recovery. We therefore pray you to spare
nothing, not even the goods of the Church, for it would be better for us
to lose the greater part of our temporal goods than be deprived of the
spiritual profit which your presence gives us."

"My good sister," said the Abbess, "I have not deserved your kind offer,
but I thank you as much as I can, and again advise and beg of you to
take care of the Church--as I have already said--for it is a matter
which concerns me closely, God knows; and pray also for my poor soul,
which hath great need of your prayers."

"Alas, madam," said the Prioress, "is it not possible that by great
care, or the diligent attention of some physician, that you might be
restored to health?"

"No, no, my good sister," replied the Abbess. "You must number me among
the dead--for I am hardly alive now, though I can still talk to you."

Then stepped forth the nun who had carried the water to Rouen, and said;

"Madam, there is a remedy if you would but try it." "I do not choose
to," replied the Abbess. "Here is sister Joan, who has returned from
Rouen, and has shown my water, and related my symptoms, to such and such
a physician, who has declared that I shall die unless I suffer some man
to approach me and have connection with me. By this means he hopes, and
his books informed him, that I should escape death; but if I did not do
as he bade me, there was no help for me. But as for me, I thank God that
He has deigned to call me, though I have sinned much. I yield myself to
His will, and my body is prepared for death, let it come when it may."

"What, madam!" said the infirmary nun, "would you murder yourself? It
is in your power to save yourself, and you have but to put forth your
hand and ask for aid, and you will find it ready! That is not right; and
I even venture to tell you that you are imperilling your soul if you die
in that condition."

"My dear sister," said the Abbess, "how many time