Whosoever reads this holy history, let him not think it a great thing to say an Our Father, and a Hail Mary, for the soul of him who has written it.
Thus far the old myth. You shall hear now in what manner such a myth is re-written by a great man, born in the days of a nation’s strength.
Carpaccio begins his story with what the myth calls a dream. But he wishes to tell you that it was no dream,—but a vision;—that a real angel came, and was seen by Ursula’s soul, when her mortal eyes were closed.
“The Angel of the Lord,” says the legend. What!—thinks Carpaccio;—to this little maid of fifteen, the [[358]]angel that came to Moses and Joshua? Not so, but her own guardian angel.
Guardian, and to tell her that God will guide her heart to-morrow, and put His own answer on her lips, concerning her marriage. Shall not such angel be crowned with light, and strew her chamber with lilies?
There is no glory round his head; there is no gold on his robes; they are of subdued purple and gray. His wings are colourless—his face calm, but sorrowful,—wholly in shade. In his right hand he bears the martyr’s palm; in his left, the fillet borne by the Greek angels of victory, and, together with it, gathers up, knotted in his hand, the folds of shroud[8] with which the Etrurians veil the tomb. [[359]]
He comes to her, “in the clear light of morning;” the Angel of Death.
You see it is written in the legend that she had shut close the doors of her chamber.