ht."

Then Walter said that he knew of no such sin by which he could have
vexed God so exceedingly. "Careless," he said, "I am and have been;
and, father, I would tell you anything that was in my heart; I would
have no secrets from you--but though I am a sinner, and do not serve
God as well as I would, yet I desire to serve Him, and have no sin
that is set like a wall between Him and me." He said this so honestly
and bravely, looking so full at the priest, that he did not doubt him,
and said, "Then, my son, we must look elsewhere for the cause; and
though I speak in haste, and without weighing my words, it seems to me
that, to speak in parables, you are like a man who has come by chance
to a den and carried off for his pleasure the cubs of some forest
beast, who returns and finds them gone, and tracks the robber out. The
souls of these poor warriors are in some mansion of God, we know not
where; if they did faithfully in life they are beaten, as the
Scripture says, with few stripes; but they may not enjoy His blessed
rest, nor the sweet sleep of the faithful souls who lie beneath the
altar and wait for His coming. And now though they cannot slay you,
they can do you grievous hurt. The Holy Church hath power indeed over
the spirits of evil, the devils that enter into men. But I have not
heard that she hath power over the spirits of the dead, and least of
all over those that lived and died outside the fold. It seems to me,
though I but grope in darkness, that these poor spirits grudge the
treasure that they fought and died for to the hands of a man who hath
not fought for it. We may think that it is a poor and childish thing
to grudge that which one cannot use; but no discourse will make a
child think so; and I reckon that these poor souls are as children
yet. And it seems to me, speaking foolishly, as though they would not
be appeased until you either restored it to them, or used it for their
undoubted benefit; but of one thing I am certain, that it must not be
used to enrich yourself. But I must ponder over the story, for it is a
strange one, and not such as has ever yet come before me."

Then Walter found fresh courage at these wary and wise words, and
told him of his impoverished estate and the love he had to Marjory;
and the priest smiled, and said that love was the best thing to win in
the world. And then he said that as it was now late, they must sleep;
and that the night often brought counsel; and so he took Walt