A strange flash of light played for a moment upon the tabernacle, the effect, Unorna thought, of the golden door being suddenly opened.
But she was wrong.

The figure moved, indeed, and stretched out a hand and moved again.

A sudden crash of something very heavy, falling upon stone, broke the great stillness--the dark form tottered, reeled and fell to its length upon the great altar.

Unorna saw that the golden door was still closed, and that Beatrice had fallen.

Unable to move or act by her own free judgment, and compelled by Unorna's determined command, she had made a desperate effort to obey.