262 WILD SPORTS OF THE WEST 



the organ, instead of a *' jubilate,'' struck up a ** nunc 

 dimittis ; " the very bells were " jangled out of tune ; " 

 and the Lady Abbess was horrified by a succession of 

 prodigies that, from her novitiate to her promotion, 

 had never before visited the quiet residence of the 

 sisterhood of Saint Ursula. 



What were the nocturnal visitations inflicted upon 

 the lovely novice have not been exactly handed down. 

 One thing alone is certain, — ^she visited the Lady Abbess 

 with the first dawn, and in her maternal bosom the bride 

 elect deposited the causes of her sorrow. 



In this perplexity, the Knight and the Superior held 

 secret counsel in the parlour of the convent, and long 

 and difficult was the conference. The result was, 

 that Cormac More vowed a golden chalice to the offended 

 virgin ; and the Abbess, not to be outdone in liberality, 

 agreed to double aves and credos for a fortnight. But 

 with Rose Roche herself the chief difficulty was found 

 to lie. All measures proposed by the holy mother 

 were inefficacious ; and, in this desperate dilemma, 

 it was deemed advisable to add to the number of coun- 

 sellors, and the Prior of the Dominicans was summoned 

 to the assistance of the conclave. 



To that holy man the exigencies of the respective 

 parties were intrusted. The Prior was sorely disturbed 

 with doubts, but after a night's deliberation, during 

 which he discussed a capon single-handed, and fortified 

 his stomach with a second scoup of Rhenish wine, he 

 decided that the Lord of Iveagh should add a flagon to 

 the chalice ; the Abbess should double her peniten- 

 tiaries for a month ; and Rose Roche undergo a private 

 penance, which he, the Prior, should communicate to 

 the lady alone. 



