days together. In her white jersey and stocking-cap she looked every inch
a sailor. When the wind freshened and the boat plunged she stood to the
tiller like a man, and he thought her the sweetest sight ever seen in a
cockpit. And when the wind saddened and the boom came aboard she was the
cheeriest companion in a calm. She sang, and so did he, and their voices
went well together. Her favourite song was "Come, Lasses and Lads"; his
was "John Peel"; and they would sing them off and on for an hour at a
spell. Thus on a summer evening, when the bay was lying like a tired
monster asleep, and every plash of an oar was echoing on the hills, the
people on the land would hear them coming around the castle rock with
their--

"D'ye ken John Peel, with his coat so gay?
D'ye ken John Peel at the break of day?
D'ye ken John P-e-e-l...."

For two years he amused himself with the child, and then realized that
she was a child no longer. The pity of the girl's position took hold of
him. This sunny soul with her sportfulness, her grace of many gifts, with
her eyes that flashed and gleamed like lightning, with her voice that was
like the warble of a bird, this golden-headed gipsy, this witch, this
fairy--what was the life that lay before her? Pity gave place to a
different feeling, and then he was aware of a pain in the breast when he
thought of the girl. As often as her eyes lasted upon him he felt his
face tingle and burn. He began to be conscious of an imprisoned side to
his nature, the passionate side, and he drew back afraid. This wild
power, this tempest, this raging fire within, God only knew whither it
was to lead him. And then he had given a hostage to fortune, or his
father had for him.