, and his prattle cheers my heavy heart; and I do love
children."

And Eli, sturdy but kindly, consented sorrowfully.

And the people of Gouda petitioned the duke for a vicar, a real vicar.
"Ours cometh never nigh us," said they, "this six months past; our
children they die unchristened, and our folk unburied, except by some
chance comer." Giles' influence baffled this just complaint once; but a
second petition was prepared, and he gave Margaret little hope that the
present position could be maintained a single day.

So then Margaret went sorrowfully to the pretty manse to see it for the
last time, ere it should pass for ever into stranger's hands.

"I think he would have been happy here," she said, and turned heart-sick
away.

On their return, Reicht Heynes proposed to her to go and consult the
hermit.

"What," said Margaret, "Joan has been at you. She is the one for
hermits. I'll go, if 'tis but to show thee they know no more than we
do." And they went to the cave.

It was an excavation partly natural, partly artificial, in a bank of
rock overgrown by brambles. There was a rough stone door on hinges, and
a little window high up, and two apertures, through one of which the
people announced their gifts to the hermit, and put questions of all
sorts to him; and when he chose to answer, his voice came dissonant and
monstrous out at another small aperture.

On the face of the rock this line was cut--

Felix qui in Domino nixus ab orbe fugit.

Margaret observed to her companion that this was new since she was here
last.

"Ay," said Reicht, "like enough;" and looked up at it with awe. Writing
even on paper she thought no trifle; but on rock! She whispered, "Tis
a far holier hermit than the last; he used to come in the town now and
then, but this one ne'er shows his face to mortal man."

"And that is holiness?"

"Ay, sure."

"Then what a saint a dormouse must be?"

"Out, fie, mistress. Would ye even a beast to a man?"

"Come, Reicht," said Margaret, "my poor father taught me overmuch, So I
will e'en sit here, and look at the manse once more. Go thou forward and
question thy solitary, and tell me whether ye get nought or nonsense
out of him, for 'twill be one."

As Reicht drew near the cave a number of birds flew out of it., She gave
a little scream, and pointed to the cave to show Margaret they had come
thence, On this Margaret felt sure there was no human being in the cave,
and gave the matter no furthe