Without more words she let me cover her; which as I was doing in the
darkness, I let my hand rest a moment on her shoulder, almost like an
embrace.

"You must try to be more patient of your friend," said I.

I thought she seemed to lean the least thing in the world against my
bosom, or perhaps it was but fancy.

"There will be no end to your goodness," said she.

And we went on again in silence; but now all was changed; and the
happiness that was in my heart was like a fire in a great chimney.

The rain passed ere day; it was but a sloppy morning as we came into the
town of Delft. The red gabled houses made a handsome show on either hand
of a canal; the servant lassies were out slestering and scrubbing at the
very stones upon the public highway; smoke rose from a hundred kitchens;
and it came in upon me strongly it was time to break our fasts.

"Catriona," said I, "I believe you have yet a shilling and three
baubees?"

"Are you wanting it?" said she, and passed me her purse. "I am wishing
it was five pounds! What will you want it for?"

"And what have we been walking for all night, like a pair of waif
Egyptians?" says I. "Just because I was robbed of my purse and all I
possessed in that unchancy town of Rotterdam. I will tell you of it now,
because I think the worst is over, but we have still a good tramp before
us till we get to where my money is, and if you would not buy me a piece
of bread, I were like to go fasting."

She looked at me with open eyes. By the light of the new day she was all
black and pale for weariness, so that my heart smote me for her. But as
for her, she broke out laughing.

"My torture! are we beggars then?" she cried. "You too? O, I could have
wished for this same thing! And I am glad to buy your breakfast to you.
But it would be pleisand if I would have had to dance to get a meal to
you! For I believe they are not very well acquainted with our manner of
dancing over here, and might be paying for the curiosity of that sight."

I could have kissed her for that word, not with a lover's mind, but in a
heat of admiration. For it always warms a man to see a woman brave.

We got a drink of milk from a country wife but new come to the town, and
in a baker's, a piece of excellent, hot, sweet-smelling bread, which we
ate upon the road as we went on. That road from Delft to the Hague is
just five miles of a fine avenue shaded with trees, a canal on the one
hand, on the other excellent past