you afraid of?" he
asked, with impatience. "Do you think I would hurt a good creature like
that?"

"You would be a cruel wretch, indeed, to do it," I answered, plucking up
a little spirit, "for she lives only to show kindness to others."

"So I have been told. 'Tis the same woman," and without more ado he
stalked past me to the door of her room, where she sat reading a Bible
as her custom was; so he opened it and went in.

I stood without in the passage, trembling still a little, and uncertain
of his purpose, yet remembering his words and the horror he had shown at
the thought of doing any hurt to my mistress. I said to myself that he
could not be a wicked man, and that there was nothing to fear. But,
well-a-day, well-a-day, we know not what is before us, nor the evil that
we shall do before we die. Of a surety the man that I let in that night
had no thought of what he should do; yet he came in the end to do it,
and even to justify the doing of it.

I waited outside, as I have said, and the sound of voices came to me. I
thought to myself once, "Shall I go nearer and listen?" though it was
only for my mistress's sake that I considered it, being no eavesdropper.
But I did not go, and in so abstaining I was kept safe in the greatest
danger I have been in throughout my life. For if I had heard and known,
my fate might have been like hers; and should I have had the strength to
endure it?

In a little time the door opened and she came out alone. Her face was
paler even than ordinary, and she gave a start on seeing me stand there.

"Child," she said, "have you heard what passed between us on the other
side of that door?"

I answered that I had not heard a word; and then she beckoned me to
follow her into the kitchen.

When we were alone there I put down my candle on the deal table, and
stood still while she looked at me searchingly. I could see that there
was more in her manner than I understood.

"Child," she said, "I have had to trust you before when I have given
help to those in trouble, and you have not been wanting in discretion;
yet you are but a child to trust."

"If you tell me nothing I can repeat nothing," I answered proudly.

"Yet you know something already. Can you keep silent entirely and under
all circumstances as to what has happened since you opened the street
door?"

"It is not my custom to gabble about your affairs."

"Will you seek to learn no more and to understand no more?"

"I desire to