heart, and rise like birds upon the air; and
when he walked with the Lady Margaret among the copses, or rested awhile
upon green banks, where the birds sang hidden in the thickets, his heart
made continual melody, and rose in a stream of praise to God. But they
spoke little of love; at times Paul would try to say something of what
was in his mind; but the Lady Margaret heard him, sedately smiling, as
though she were pleased that she could give him this joy, but as though
she understood not what he said. She loved to hear of Paul's life, and
the places he had visited. And Paul, for all his joy, felt that in his
love he was, as it were, voyaging on a strange and fair sea alone, and
as though the maiden stood upon the shore and waved her hand to him.
When he kissed her or took her hand in his own, she yielded to him
gently and lovingly, like a child; and it was then that Paul felt most
alone. But none the less was he happy, and day after day was lit for him
with a golden light.

IV

One day there came a messenger for Paul, and brought him news that made
him wonder: the House of Heritage had fallen, on Mistress Alison's
death, to a distant kinsman of her own and of his. This man, who was
without wife or child, had lived there solitary, and it seemed that he
was now dead; and he had left in his will that if Sir Paul should wish
to redeem the house and land for a price, he should have the first
choice to do so, seeing his boyhood had been spent there. Now Paul was
rich, for he had received many great gifts and had spent little; and
there came into his heart a great and loving desire to possess the old
house. He told the Lady Beckwith and Margaret of this, and they both
advised him to go and see it. So Paul asked leave of the Duke, and told
him his business. Then the Duke said very graciously that Paul had
served him well, and that he would buy the house at his own charges, and
give it to Paul as a gift; but he added that this was a gift for past
service, and that he would in no way bind Paul; but he hoped that Paul
would still abide in the castle, at least for a part of the year, and
make music for them. "For indeed," said the Duke very royally, "it were
not meet that so divine a power should be buried in a rustic grange, but
it should abide where it can give delight. Indeed, Sir Paul, it is not
only delight! but through your music there flows a certain holy and
ennobling grace into the hearts of all who attentively