arkness.

We reached the quay I know not how long afterwards whose mind was
full of thoughts that blotted out all else. How strange had been my
life--that was one of them. Within a few years I had risen to great
wealth, and won the woman I desired. And now where was the wealth and
where was the woman, and what was I? One flying his native land by night
with blood upon his hands, the blood of a King's favourite that, if he
were taken, would bring him to the noose. Oh! how great was the contrast
between the morn and the midnight of that day for me! "Vanity of
vanities. All is vanity!"

I think that my mind must have wandered, for when my soul was swallowed
in this deepest pit of hell, it seemed to me that he whom I had
worshipped as a heavenly patron, St. Hubert, appeared striding by my
horse with a shining countenance and said to me:

"Have good courage, Godson, and remember your mother's words--a wanderer
shall you be, but where'er you go the good bow and the good sword shall
keep you safe and I wander with you. Nor does all love die with one
woman's passing breath."

This phantasy, as it were, lanced the abscess of my pain and for a
while I was easier. Also something of hope came back to me. I no longer
desired to die but rather to live and in life, not in the tomb, to find
forgetfulness.

We reached the quay and placed the horses in a shed that served as
stables there, ridding them of their bits and saddles that they might
eat of the hay in the racks. The thought to do this came to me, which
showed that my mind was working again since still I could attend to the
wants of other creatures. Then we went to the quayside where was made
fast that boat in which I had come ashore some hours gone. There was a
moon which now and again showed between the drifting clouds, and by
the light of it I saw that the _Blanche_ lay safe at her anchors not a
bowshot away. The gale had fallen much with the rising of the moon,
as it often does, and so it came about that although the boat was
over-large for two men to handle rightly, Kari and I, by watching our
chance, were able to row it to the ship, on to which we climbed by the
ladder.

Here we found a sailor on watch who was amazed to see us, and with his
help, made the boat fast by the tow rope to the stern of the ship.

This done I caused the captain to be awakened and told him briefly that
as the gale had abated and tide and wind served, I desired to sail
at once. He stared at