own he was in the house; for she turned first red and then very
pale, and stepped backwards; and it went to Paul's heart like the
stabbing of a sharp knife, that she looked at him with a look in which
there was shame mingled with a certain fear.

Now while Paul stood amazed and almost stupefied with what he saw,
the Lady Beckwith said quickly and almost sternly to Margaret, "Go
back to Helen--she may not be left alone." Margaret slipped from the
room; and the Lady Beckwith pointed swiftly to a chair, and herself
sate down. Then she said, "Dear Paul, I have dreaded this moment and
the sight of you for some days--and though I should wish to take
thought of what I am to say to you, and to say it carefully, it makes
an ill matter worse to dally with it--so I will even tell you at once.
You must know that some three days after you left us, the young Knight
Sir Richard de Benoit fell from his horse, when riding in the wood
hard by this house, and was grievously hurt by the fall. They carried
him in here and we tended him. I had much upon my hands, for dear
Helen was in great suffering; and so it fell out that Margaret was
often with the Knight--who, indeed, is a noble and generous youth,
very pure and innocent of heart--and oh, Paul, though it pierces my
heart to say it, he loves her--and I think that she loves him too. It
is a strange and terrible thing, this love! it is like the sword that
the Lord Christ said that He came to bring on earth, for it divides
loving households that were else at one together; and now I must say
more--the maiden knew not before what love was; she had read of it in
the old books; and when you came into this quiet house, bringing with
you all the magic of song, and the might of a gentle and noble spirit,
and offered her love, she took it gladly and sweetly, not knowing what
it was that you gave; but I have watched my child from her youth up,
and the love that she gave you was the love that she would have given
to a brother--she admired you and reverenced you. She knew that
maidens were asked and given in marriage, and she took your love, as a
child might take a rich jewel, and love the giver of it. And, indeed,
she would have wedded you, and might have learned to love you in the
other way. But God willed it otherwise; and seeing the young Knight,
it was as though a door was opened in her spirit, and she came out
into another place. I am sure that no word of love has passed between
them; but it has