THE HARDER PART Dawn broke--a silver rift in the purple sky--and presently stole, in pearly light, through the oriel window.

Upon the Prioress's table, lay a beautifully executed copy of the Pope's mandate.

Beside it, carefully pieced together, the torn fragments of the Bishop's copy.
Also, open upon the table, lay the Gregorian Sacramentary, and near to it strips of parchment upon which the Prioress had copied two of those ancient prayers, appending to each a careful translation.
These are the sixth century prayers which the Prioress had found comfort in copying and translating, during the long hours of her vigil.
_O God, the Protector of all that trust in Thee, without Whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy; Increase and multiply upon us Thy mercy, that Thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal; Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ's sake our Lord.

Amen._ And on another strip of parchment: _O Lord, we beseech Thee mercifully to receive the prayers of Thy people who call upon Thee; and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil the same: through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen._ Then, in that darkest hour before the dawn, she had opened the heavy clasps of an even older volume, and copied a short prayer from the Gelasian Sacramentary, under date A.D.