So strange it seemed his wife should live and speak!

She had prayed—at least so people tell you now—

For but one thing to the Virgin for herself,

Not simply, as did Pietro 'mid the stabs,—

Time to confess and get her own soul saved,—

But time to make the truth apparent, truth

For God's sake, lest men should believe a lie:

Which seems to have been about the single prayer

She ever put up, that was granted her.

With this hope in her head, of telling truth,—