Again the eyelids flickered; the lips formed words, and ceased again.

The priest glanced up, scarcely knowing why; and then again lowered himself that if it were possible Ralph might hear.

Then he spoke, with a tense internal effort as if to drive the grace home....

“Ego te absolvo ab omnibus censuris et peccatis, in nomine Patris—­” He raised himself a little and lifted his hand, moving it sideways across and down as he ended—­“et Filii et Spiritus Sancti.”

* * * * *

The priest rose up once more, his duty driving his emotion down; he did not dare to look across at the two figures beyond the bed, or even to question himself again as to what he was doing.

The two men at the further end of the room were waiting now; they had lifted the candles and crucifix off the table, and set them on the bench by the side.

Chris went swiftly across the room, dropped on one knee, rose again, lifted the veiled vessel that stood in the centre, with the little linen cloth beneath, and set it all down on the bench.  He knelt again, went a step aside back to the table, lifted the other vessel, and signed with his head.

The two men grasped the ends of the table, and carried it across the floor to the end of the bed.  Chris followed and set down the sacred oils upon it.

“The cross and one candle,” he whispered sharply.

A minute later he was standing by the bed once more.

“Oremus—­” he began, reading rapidly off the book that Beatrice held steadily beneath his eyes.

“Almighty Everlasting God, who through blessed James Thy Apostle, hast spoken, saying, Is any sick among you, let him call the priests of the Church—­” (The lips of the dying man were moving again at the sound of the words; was it in protest or in faith?)—­” ... that is what is done without through our ministry, may be wrought within spiritually by Thy divine power, and invisibly by Thy healing; through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.”

The lips were moving faster than ever on the pillow; the head was beginning to turn from side to side, and the mouth lay open.

“Usquequo, Domine” ... began Beatrice.

Chris dipped his thumb in the vessel, and sank swiftly on to his knees.

“Per istam sanctam Unctionem”—­“through this holy unction....”

(The old man leaned suddenly forward on to his knees, and steadied that rolling head in his two hands; and Chris signed firmly on the eyelids, pressing them down and feeling the fluttering beneath his thumb as he did so.)

" ... And His most loving mercy, may the Lord forgive thee whatsoever thou hast sinned through sight.”

Ah! that was done—­dear God! those eyes that had drooped and sneered, that had looked so greedily on treasure—­their lids shone now with the loving-kindness of God.