"This must be your price with Kennedy," he said, "if better may not be.
It is like parting with the apple of my eye, but, I know not well how, I
love you, my lad, and blood is thicker than water. Give me my staff; I
must hirple up that weary hill again, and you, come hither."

He led me to his own chamber, where I had never been before, and showed
me how, in the chimney-neuk, was a way into a certain black hole of
little ease, wherein, if any came in search for me, I might lie hidden.
And, fetching me a cold fish (Lenten cheer), a loaf, and a stoup of wine,
whereof I was glad enough, he left me, groaning the while at his
ill-fortune, but laden with such thanks as I might give for all his great
kindness.

There then, I sat, when I had eaten, my ears pricked to listen for the
tramp of armed men below and the thunder of their summons at the door.
But they came not, and presently my thought stole back to Elliot, who,
indeed, was never out of my mind then--nay, nor now is. But whether that
memory be sinful in a man of religion or not, I leave to the saints and
to good confession. Much I perplexed myself with marvelling why she did
so weep; above all, since I knew what hopeful tidings she had gotten of
her friend and her enterprise. But no light came to me in my
meditations. I did not know then that whereas young men, and many lasses
too, are like the Roman lad who went with his bosom bare, crying "Aura
veni," and sighing for the breeze of Love to come, other maidens are
wroth with Love when he creeps into their hearts, and would fain cast him
out--being in a manner mad with anger against Love, and against him whom
they desire, and against themselves. This mood, as was later seen, was
Elliot's, for her heart was like a wild bird trapped, that turns with
bill and claw on him who comes to set it free. Moreover, I have since