"She was evil, wicked, my mother?"

"Ay--a light woman, that was what the maid meant."

Then great darkness fell upon the soul of Hilarius, and he clasped
the Prior's knees weeping and praying like a little child.


"And so, my son," said the Prior, "for a time thou shalt go out
into the world, to strive and fail, hunger and love; only have a
care that thou art chaste in heart and life; for it is the pure
shall see God, and seeing love Him. Leave me now that. I may set
in order thy going; and send the Chamberlain hither to me."

That night Hilarius knelt through the long hours at the great Rood,
and then at St Mary Maudlin's altar he did penance for his dead
mother's sin.

A week later he left the Monastery as a bird leaves its nest, nay,
is pushed out by the far-seeing parent bird, full of vague terrors
of the great world without. He had a purse for his immediate
needs; a letter to a great knight, Sir John Maltravers, who would
be his patron; and another to the Prior's good friend, the Abbat of
St Alban's. The Convent bade him a sad farewell, for they loved
this gentle lad who had been with them from a little child; and
Brother Richard strained his filmy eyes to look his last at the
young face he would never see again.

The Prior gave him the Communion; and later walked beside him to
the gates. Then as Hilarius knelt he blessed him; and the boy,