“Peace, my daughter,” said the monk; “and listen to the voice of thy mother the Church speaking through the humblest of her servants. This legend of thine holds not a single grain of truth. ’Tis a conceit of the common herd, set afoot by some ingenious fellow who may have thought he was doing a great thing in devising such fantastic mixture. True it is that the Monster is a visitation to punish the impiety of certain members of thy family. True it is that he will not depart till a member of that family perform a certain act. But it is to be a male descendant.”
Now Sir Godfrey’s boy Roland was being instructed in knightly arts and conduct away from home.
“Who told you that?” inquired the Baron, as the thought of his precious wine-cellar came into his head.
“On last Christmas Eve I had a vision,” replied Father Anselm. “Thy grandfather, the brave youth who by journeying to the Holy War averted this curse until thine own conduct caused it to descend upon us, appeared to me in shining armour. ‘Anselm,’ he said, and raised his right arm, ‘the Dragon is a grievous burden on the people. I can see that from where I am. Now, Anselm, when the fitting hour shall come, and my great-grandson’s years be mature enough to have made a man of him, let him go to the next Holy War that is proclaimed, and on the very night of his departure the curse will be removed and our family forgiven. More than this, Anselm, if any male descendant from me direct shall at any time attend a Crusade when it is declared, the country will be free forever.’ So saying, he dissolved out of my sight in a silver gleaming mist.” Here Father Anselm paused, and from under his hood watched with a trifle of anxiety the effect of his speech.
There was a short silence, and then Sir Godfrey said, “Am I to understand this thing hangs on the event of another Crusade?”
The Abbot bowed.
“Meanwhile, till that event happen, the Dragon can rage unchecked?”
The Abbot bowed again.
“Will there be another Crusade along pretty soon?” Sir Godfrey pursued.
“These things lie not in human knowledge,” replied Father Anselm. He little dreamed what news the morrow’s sun would see.