rld of
Humans.

And surely my questionings brought a distress upon Mine Own, both
because that she did be troubled by the way that my love did bring me to
this strange anguish, and because that she also to have pain, and a
sudden fear that there did be ever a time when she not to have known me,
or to have permitted the arms of another.

And she did then strive that she be both wise and strong, and to give
help unto me, and to take reason unto her own easing. And truly she to
show how that she did be all unknowing of any love in that far backward
time; but it to be possible in reason that she to have gone to another,
in natural course, the while that her heart did yearn alway in vague
trouble unto Her Own, that her spirit did mayhap never to have
forgotten. And, truly, this doth be the way of Life, and a bitter thing
and a sorrow to Joyous Love to think upon; yet I here to be set to the
tellings of Truth, and to have heed to all that reason doth show to be.

But Mine Own did also have us both to remember that there did be equal
right to think that she had died Mine Own Maid in that life; for that it
did be not out of reason to think that she had been void-hearted unto
all men, because that she had known in her spirit that she did once to
meet Her Own, and did be thereafter untuned unto all other men that ever
did live. And this all to be in a mist, and we to go vainly. And of her
will, she did think that no man did ever to have possessed her, save I;
yet this to be mayhaps only the prompting of her love; and she then to
kiss me, and to say that there did be no surety in aught, but only that
we did have been together before, and have borne a love so great that it
did live through Eternity; and we to be now together, and maybe all else
to be but dreams.

And truly I did have a fierce hope that this be so; and the Maid
likewise so to hope, yet to be less bitter with rebellion than I, though
in pain upon the thought; for she did be so utter and dreadful glad and
in happy thankfulness that we did be now come together again in the end;
and did mean that she conquer all that should be like to set a greyness
upon our joy, and to be steadfast unto this end.

And I afterward to be likewise in wisdom, when that I was come the more
to strength, and to mind that I suffer vainly for that which did have no
surety, as I have shown; and moreover I did have no power upon the past,
either to learn aught or to mend aught; so that I did