But the swords were drawn back from him and he was at once blindfolded again.

"Now thou hast seen the lesser light," uttered a voice.

Then the candles were relit and he was told that he would see the full light; the bandage was again removed and more than ten voices said together: "Sic transit gloria mundi.

" Pierre gradually began to recover himself and looked about at the room and at the people in it.

Round a long table covered with black sat some twelve men in garments like those he had already seen.