THE LEGEND OF ROSE ROCHE. 



259 



the tired hunter was ceremoniously seated at the table. 

 His morning's meal had been despatched before the 

 sun had topped Slieve Galliotiy and a long day's exercise 

 had given him a keen relish for the evening banquet. 

 The lady Abbess feasted the patron of her house right 

 nobly— he was attended on assiduously by the novices — 

 dish after dish succeeded in luxurious variety, until the 

 chief requested the tables to be drawn, and with knightly 

 courtesy entreated permission to pledge the holy 

 mother of the Ursulines in a deep draught of Rhenish 

 wine. 



Then, for the first time, the novice who presented the 

 cup attracted the good knight's attention. The folds 

 of her thick veil could not conceal the matchless 

 symmetry of her form ; and, as she filled the chalice 

 from the flagon, the exquisite proportions of her hand 

 and arm struck Cormac More with wonder. At this 

 moment her drapery became entangled with the jewelled 

 pommel of the Knight's rapier ; a hasty attempt to 

 disengage it was unsuccessful — ^the veil fell and disclosed 

 to the enraptured view of the Lord of Iveagh the loveliest 

 features he had ever seen. Covered with blushes, 

 which heightened her surpassing beauty, the novice 

 caught her veil hastily up and retired from the parlour, 

 while the Knight, despite the evident displeasure that 

 the accident had caused the Lady Abbess, gazed after 

 the retiring girl until she disappeared among the cloisters. 

 In vain the proud Superior introduced costlier wines 

 of rare and ancient vintages : in vain she enlarged 

 upon the piety of her order, and enumerated the number 

 of the Ursulines who had been canonized • — ^the Knight's 

 whole thoughts were engrossed with one lovely object 

 — his courtesy and converse were feeble and constrained, 



