"My Lords Commissioners speak very fair," said she. "I told the eldest gentleman as you bade me, holy Mother: and he promiseth that only the three chiefest of them shall come into this chamber, and that they shall tread and speak so quiet as may be."
"'Tis the best we may look for," responded the Abbess: "but I would it were well over."
In about half an hour the footsteps were heard approaching. They roused the dying nun, who had been in a dozing condition for some time.
"What is it, holy Mother?" she said nervously.
"Dear heart, 'tis but those weary companions, the King's Highness' noble Commissioners, that must needs see with their own evil eyes how many candlesticks and phials of physic be of the mantel-shelf," said the Abbess rather irritably. "They know their own business, trow: but verily I would have thought, after reckoning every aglet[#] in the treasury, and every stick of firewood in the yard, they might have left us poor nuns be to drink our senna in peace. Dear heart, what work is here to drive out an handful of old women into this wicked world! Well, well! we shall soon have done therewith, most of us."
[#] The little silver ring which surrounds lace-holes in boots, stays, &c.
She ceased her diatribe, for my Lords Commissioners were entering, and standing up, gave them her blessing—with how much sincerity she was not careful to state. The three gentlemen bowed low to the mitred Abbess, and seemed half alarmed at their own temerity.
"Methinks we need not tarry hither," said the chief Commissioner. "May-be, holy Sister"—addressing Sister Katherine—"it should stand with your conveniency, under leave of my Lady Abbess, to take note of such furnishings as be in this chamber, and we will accept the same.—Lead forth, my Lord of Dorset."
Before this could be done, the further progress of the Commissioners was intercepted by a weak voice from the pallet bed.
"My Lord of Dorset!" said Mother Agnes faintly.