venturing to enter, I heard the sound of a stifled sob. She had thrown
herself on a settle, her face turned to the wall, and the afternoon sun
was shining on her yellow hair, which lay loose upon her shoulders.

I dared to say no word, and she only made a motion of her hand towards
me, that I should begone, without showing me the light of her
countenance. On this I went forth stealthily, my heart again very heavy,
for the Maiden had spoken of learning good tidings; and wherefore should
my mistress weep, who, an hour agone, had been so merry? Difficult are
the ways of women, a language hard to be understood, wherefore "love," as
the Roman says, "is full of anxious fears."

Much misdoubting how I fared in Elliot's heart, and devising within
myself what this new sorrow of Elliot's might signify, I half forgot my
own danger, yet not so much as to fare forth of the doors, or even into
the booth, where customers might come, and I be known. Therefore I
passed into a room behind the booth, where my master was wont to instruct
me in my painting; and there, since better might not be, I set about
grinding and mixing such colours as I knew that he required.

I had not been long about this task, when I heard him enter the booth
from without, whence he walked straight into my workroom. I looked up
from my colours, whereat his face, which was ruddy, grew wan, he
staggered back, and, being lame, reeled against the wall. There he
brought up, crossing himself, and making the sign of the cross at me.

"Avaunt!" he said, "in the name of this holy sign, whether thou art a
wandering spirit, or a devil in a dead man's semblance."

"Master," I said, "I am neither spirit nor devil. Was it ever yet heard