But he moved not.
"'Well, Master Pieman,' I said, 'art come to spy on holy ladies ?' But never a flutter, never a chirp, gave he.
"So grave and yet war-like was his aspect, that at length I said: 'Well, Knight of the Bloody Vest! Hast thou come to carry off again our noble Prioress ?' Upon which, instantly, he lifted up his voice, and burst into song; then flew to the doorway, turning and chirping, as if asking me to follow.
"Greatly marvelling at this behaviour on the part of the little bird I love, I forthwith set out to follow him.
"Along the passage, on swift wing, he flew; in and out of the empty cells, as if in search of something.' Then, while I was yet some little way behind, he vanished into the Reverend Mother's cell, and came not forth again.
"Laughing to myself at such presumption, I followed, saying: 'Ha, thou Knight of the Bloody Vest! What doest thou there?
The Reverend Mother is away.

What seekest thou in her chamber, Knight of the Bloody Vest ?' "But, reaching the doorway, at that moment, I found myself struck dumb by what I saw.
"No robin was there, but a most splendid Knight, in shining armour, kneeled upon his knees before the shrine of our Lady.

A blood-red cross was on his breast.

His dark head was uplifted.

On his noble face was a look of pleading and of prayer.
"Marvelling, but unafraid, I crept in, and kneeled behind that splendid Knight.