room, to make sure that she was safe and
well. As he sprang up the broad staircase, the sheath of his sword and
the spurs at his heels clanked harshly on the stone steps.

Dorigen heard him, but, instead of going to meet him, she buried her
head deeper in her cushions and wept. Arviragus crossed the room to
where she sat, and knelt before her. He drew her hands from her eyes
and said, "Dorigen, what is it? Why dost thou weep like this, my
beloved?"

For a little time Dorigen's tears only fell the faster, then she said
brokenly: "Alas, that ever I was born! I have said it! Arviragus! I
have promised!"

"What hast thou promised, my wife?"

Then Dorigen told Arviragus all that had happened; told him that she
had promised to give her jewel to Aurelius when he would take all the
rocks away.

Arviragus leapt up and went to the window. The moon had burst through
a cloud, and everything was bright and clear. He looked away north, as
Dorigen had so often looked to watch for his coming. In the moonlight
Arviragus saw the sea lie smooth and cold. His eyes swept the skyline.
It seemed as as if all the rocks had sunk into his heart, it was so
heavy.

He turned towards Dorigen, and saw how great was her sorrow.

Then he said very gently: "Is there aught else than this, that thou
shouldst weep, Dorigen?"

"Nay, nay, this is indeed too much already," she sighed.

"Dear wife," he said, "something as wonderful as the sinking of the
rocks may happen to save us yet. God grant it! But whether or not,
thou must keep thy troth. I had rather that my great love for thee
caused me to die, than that thou shouldest break thy promise. Truth is
the highest thing that man may keep."

Then his courage broke down, and he began to sob and weep along with
Dorigen.

Next morning he was strong and brave again. He said to Dorigen, "I
will bear up under this great sorrow."

He bade her farewell, and she set out with only a maid and a squire to
follow her.

Arviragus could not bear to see Dorigen as she went down from the
castle, so he hid himself in an inner room. But some one saw her go
out. It was Aurelius. For three days he had watched the castle gate to
see what she did, and where she went. He came forward and said,
"Whither goest thou?"

Dorigen was almost mad with misery, but she said bravely, "To thee, to
keep my troth, and give my jewel to thee, as my husband bids me. Alas!
alas!"

Aurelius was full of wonder when he heard this.