the law which truly does more to lift men above us women-folk than any
other thing.

Well, by that evening when Uncle Christian thus pledged my brother,
Herdegen was quite himself again in mind and body. At first it had
seemed as though a wall had been raised up between us; but after that I
had told him that I had concealed from Ann all that I had seen by ill-hap
at the moss-hut, he was as kind and trusting as of old, and he showed
himself more ready to give Ann the pledge she required than I had looked
to find him, stiff-necked as he ever was. And he hearkened unmoved when
I told him what Ann had said: "That she was ready to follow him to death,
but not to shame."

"That," quoth he, "she need never fear from any true man, and with all
his wildness he might yet call himself that." Then he stretched himself
at full length on his chair, and threw his arms in the air, and cried:

"Oh, Margery. If you could but slip for one half-hour into your mad
brother's skin. In your own, which is so purely white, you can never,
till the day of doom, understand what I am. If ever I have seemed weary
it is but to keep up a mannerly appearance; verily I could break forth
ten times a day and shoot skywards like a rocket for sheer joy in life.
When that mood comes over me there is no holding me, and I should dare
swear that the whole fair earth had been made and created for my sole and
free use, with all that therein is--and above all other creatures the
dear, sweet daughters of Eve!--and I can tell you, Margery, the women
agree with me. I have only to open my arms and they flutter into them,
and not to close them tight--that, Margery, is too much to look for; yet
is there but one true bliss, and but one Ann, and the best of all joys is
to clasp her to my heart and kiss her lips. I will keep faith with her;