Murray entered the room unobserved. "Helen! my dear cousin!" cried he.
She started, and rising, apologized for her tears by owning the truth.
He now told her, that the body of the deceased lady was deposited in
the chapel of the castle; and that the priests from the adjacent priory
only awaited her presence to consign it, with the church's rites, to
its tomb.
Helen retired for a few minutes to recover herself; and then
re-entering, covered with a black veil, was led by her cousin to the
awful scene.
The bier lay before the altar. The prior of St. Fillan, in his holy
vestments, stood at its head; a band of monks were ranged on each side.
The maids of Lady Helen, in mourning garments, met their mistress at
the portal. They had wrapped the beautiful corpse in the shroud
prepared for it; and now having laid it, strewed with flowers, upon the
bier, they advanced to their trembling lady, expecting her to approve
their services. Helen drew near-she bowed to the priests. One of the
women put her hand on the pall, to uncover the once lovely face of the
murdered Marion. Lady Helen hastily resisted the woman's motion, by
laying her hand also upon the pall.
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