THE man who was "learned in strange mysteries" pointed out to Father
John that the orders of the Lord Abbot of St. Edmondsbury might be
easily carried out by blocking up twelve of the lights in the window as
shown by the dark squares in the following sketch:--
[Illustration:
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| IIIII : : : IIIII |
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| : IIIII : IIIII : |
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]
Father John held that the four corners should also be darkened, but the
sage explained that it was desired to obstruct no more light than was
absolutely necessary, and he said, anticipating Lord Dundreary, "A
single pane can no more be in a _line_ with itself than one bird can go
into a corner and flock in solitude. The Abbot's condition was that no
diagonal _lines_ should contain an odd number of lights."
Now, when the holy man saw what had been done he was well pleased, and
said, "Truly, Father John, thou art a man of deep wisdom, in that thou
hast done that which seemed impossible, and yet withal adorned our
window with a device of the cross of St. Andrew, whose name I received
from my godfathers and godmothers." Thereafter he slept well and arose
refreshed. The window might be seen intact to-day in the monastery of
St. Edmondsbury, if it existed, which, alas! the window does not.