Afterthesefollowed，indueandmajesticorder，thefemaleswhocomposedthechoir；six，who，fromtheirblackscapularies，andblackveilsovertheirwhitegarments，appearedtobeprofessednunsoftheorderofMountCarmel；andasmanywhoseveils，beingwhite，arguedthemtobenovices，oroccasionalinhabitantsinthecloister，whowerenotasyetboundtoitbyvows。Theformerheldintheirhandslargerosaries，whiletheyoungerandlighterfigureswhofollowed，carriedeachachapletofredandwhiteroses。Theymovedinprocessionaroundthechapel，withoutappearingtotaketheslightestnoticeofKenneth，althoughpassingsonearhimthattheirrobesalmosttouchedhim；whiletheycontinuedtosing，theknightdoubtednotthathewasinoneofthosecloisterswherethenobleChristianmaidenshadformerlyopenlydevotedthemselvestotheservicesofthechurch。MostofthemhadbeensuppressedsincetheMahometanshadreconqueredPalestine，butmany，purchasingconnivancebypresents，orreceivingitfromtheclemencyorcontemptofthevictors，stillcontinuedtoobserveinprivatetheritualtowhichtheirvowshadconsecratedthem。Yet，thoughKennethknewthistobethecase，thesolemnityoftheplaceandhour，thesurpriseatthesuddenappearanceofthesevotresses，andthevisionarymannerinwhichtheymovedpasthim，hadsuchinfluenceonhisimagination，thathecouldscarceconceivethatthefairprocessionwhichhebeheldwasformedofcreaturesofthisworld，somuchdidtheyresembleachoirofsupernaturalbeings，renderinghomagetotheuniversalobjectofadoration。
Suchwastheknight’sfirstidea，astheprocessionpassedhim，scarcemoving，savejustsufficientlytocontinuetheirprogress；
sothat，seenbytheshadowyandreligiouslight，whichthelampsshedthroughthecloudsofincensewhichdarkenedtheapartment，theyappearedrathertoglidethantowalk。
Butasasecondtime，insurroundingthechapel，theypassedthespotonwhichhekneeled，oneofthewhite-stoledmaidens，assheglidedbyhim，detachedfromthechapletwhichshecarriedarose-bud，whichdroppedfromherfingers，perhapsunconsciously，onthefootofSirKenneth。Theknightstartedasifadarthadsuddenlystruckhisperson；for，whenthemindiswoundtiptoahighpitchoffeelingandexpectation，theslightestincident，ifunexpected，givesfiretothetrainwhichimaginationhasalreadylaid。Buthesuppressedhisemotion，recollectinghoweasilyanincidentsoindifferentmighthavehappened，andthatitwasonlytheuniform，monotonyofthemovementofthechoristers，whichmadetheincidentintheslightestdegreeremarkable。
Still，whiletheprocession，forthethirdtime，surroundedthechapel，thethoughtsandtheeyesofKennethfollowedexclusivelytheoneamongthenoviceswhohaddroppedtherose-bud。Herstep，herface，herform，weresocompletelyassimilatedtotherestofthechoristers，thatitwasimpossibletoperceivetheleastmarksofindividuality，andyetKenneth’sheartthrobbedlikeabirdthatwouldburstfromitscage，asiftoassurehim，byitssympatheticsuggestions，thatthefemalewhoheldtherightfileonthesecondrankofthenovices，wasdearertohim，notonlythanalltherestthatwerepresent，butthanthewholesexbesides。Theromanticpassionoflove，asitwascherished，andindeedenjoined，bytherulesofchivalry，associatedwellwiththenolessromanticfeelingsofdevotion；andtheymightbesaidmuchmoretoenhancethantocounteracteachother。Itwas，therefore，withaglowofexpectation，thathadsomethingevenofareligiouscharacter，thatSirKenneth，hissensationsthrillingfromhishearttotheendsofhisfingers，expectedsomesecondsignofthepresenceofone，who，hestronglyfancied，hadalreadybestowedonhimthefirst。Shortasthespacewasduringwhichtheprocessionagaincompletedathirdperambulationofthechapel，itseemedaneternitytoKenneth。Atlengththeform，whichhehadwatchedwithsuchdevotedattention，drewnigh-therewasnodifferencebetwixtthatshroudedfigureandtheothers，withwhomitmovedinconcertandinunison，until，justasshepassedforthethirdtimethekneelingCrusader，apartofalittleandwell-proportionedhand，sobeautifullyformedastogivethehighestideaoftheperfectproportionsoftheform。