ended.

"Why, the abbot he yielded, as the Church yields to laymen. He searched
ancient books, and found that the left hand was the more honourable,
being in truth the right hand, since the altar is east, but looks
westward. So he gave my lord the soi-disant right hand, and contented
himself with the real right hand, and even so may the Church still
outwit the lay nobles and their arrogance, saving your presence."

"Nay, sir, I honour the Church. I am convent bred, and owe all I have
and am to Holy Church."

"Ah, that accounts for my sudden liking to thee. Art a gracious youth.
Come and see me whenever thou wilt."

Gerard took this as a hint that he might go now. It jumped with his own
wish, for he was curious to hear what Denys had seen and done all this
time. He made his reverence and walked out of the church; but was
no sooner clear of it than he set off to run with all his might: and
tearing round a corner, ran into a large stomach, whose owner clutched
him, to keep himself steady under the shock; but did not release his
hold on regaining his equilibrium.

"Let go, man," said Gerard.

"Not so. You are my prisoner."

"Prisoner?"

"Ay."

"What for, in Heaven's name?"

"What for? Why, sorcery."

"SORCERY?"

"Sorcery."

CHAPTER XXXVII

The culprits were condemned to stand pinioned in the marketplace for two
hours, that should any persons recognize them or any of them as guilty
of other crimes, they might depose to that effect at the trial.

They stood, however, the whole period, and no one advanced anything
fresh against them. This was the less remarkable that they were night
birds, vampires who preyed in the dark on weary travellers, mostly
strangers.

But just as they were being taken down, a fearful scream was heard in
the crowd, and a woman pointed at one of them, with eyes almost starting
from their sockets: but ere she could speak she fainted away.

Then men and women crowded round her, partly to aid her, partly from
curiosity. When she began to recover they fell to conjectures.

"'Twas at him she pointed."

"Nay, 'twas at this one."

"Nay, nay," said another, "'twas at yon hangdog with the hair hung round
his neck."

All further conjectures were cut short. The poor creature no sooner
recovered her senses than she flew at the landlord like a lioness.
"My child! Man! man! Give me back my child." And she seized the glossy
golden hair that the officers had hung round his neck, and to