, Catriona; the Lord do so to me, and more also, if I should fail or
fash you."

She crept closer in to me by way of a reply.

"Here," I said, "is the stillest place that we have hit on yet in this
busy byke of a city. Let us sit down here under yon tree and consider of
our course."

That tree (which I am little like to forget) stood hard by the harbour
side. It was a black night, but lights were in the houses, and nearer
hand in the quiet ships; there was a shining of the city on the one
hand, and a buzz hung over it of many thousands walking and talking; on
the other, it was dark and the water bubbled on the sides. I spread my
cloak upon a builder's stone, and made her sit there; she would have
kept her hold upon me, for she still shook with the late affronts; but I
wanted to think clear, disengaged myself, and paced to and fro before
her, in the manner of what we call a smuggler's walk, belabouring my
brains for any remedy. By the course of these scattering thoughts I was
brought suddenly face to face with a remembrance that, in the heat and
haste of our departure, I had left Captain Sang to pay the ordinary. At
this I began to laugh out loud, for I thought the man well served; and
at the same time, by an instinctive movement, carried my hand to the
pocket where my money was. I suppose it was in the lane where the women
jostled us; but there is only the one thing certain, that my purse was
gone.

"You will have thought of something good," said she, observing me to
pause.

At the pinch we were in, my mind became suddenly clear as a perspective
glass, and I saw there was no choice of methods. I had not one doit of
coin, but in my pocket-book I had still my letter on the Leyden
merchant; and there was now but the one way to get to Leyden, and that
was to walk on our two feet.

"Catriona," said I, "I know you're brave and I believe you're strong, do
you think you could walk thirty miles on a plain road?" We found it, I
believe, scarce the two-thirds of that, but such was my notion of the
distance.

"David," she said, "if you will just keep near, I will go anywhere and
do anything. The courage of my heart, it is all broken. Do not be
leaving me in this horrible country by myself, and I will do all else."

"Can you start now and march all night?" said I.

"I will do all that you can ask of me," she said, "and never ask you
why. I have been a bad ungrateful girl to you; and do what you please
with me now! And I