was no great need of words after such an adventure,
and that it had knit us closer together than any words could do; and,
besides, that was no place to talk. Yet it was not all pure joy; for
here was the knowledge which we both had, that I must go away, and that
God only knew when I should get back again; and, whatever that knowledge
was to Dorothy, it was as a sword for pain to me. As for my Cousin Tom,
he was no better than a dummy; for he was still terrified at all that
had happened, and at the magistrate's words to him. I told them both,
while we were still in the house, that I must go to London, partly for
that that was the last place in the world that any would look for me in,
and partly--(but this I told neither of them)--for that I must return
the packet to His Majesty: and I said that from London I would go to
France for a little, until it seemed safe for me to get back again. But
there, waiting in the dark, I said nothing at all; but before I mounted
I kissed Dorothy on the cheek; and her cheek was wet, but whether with
the feigned tears she had shed in the house, or with tears even dearer
to me than those, I do not know. But I dared not delay any longer, for
fear that when Mr. Harris came to Barkway, which was five miles away, he
might learn that no one that could be James and I had passed that way,
and so return to search again.

* * * * *

The clouds had rolled away by now; and it was a clear night of stars
until they began to pale about two o'clock in the morning; and I think
that for a lover who desires to be alone with his thoughts, there is no
light of sun or moon or candle so sweet as the light of stars; and by
that time we were beyond Ware and coming out of the valley.

It was solemn to me to watch that dawn coming up, for it was, I thought,
the last dawn that I should see in England for a while, since I was
determined but to see the King in London, and push straight on to Dover
and take the packet there: and it was a solemn dawn too, in another way,
for it was the first I had seen since I had been certain not only that I
loved my Cousin Dolly as I had my own heart, but that she loved me also;
and that is a great day for a lover.

To see the King then, and to push on to Dover, was all that I had
rehearsed to myself; but Providence had one more adventure for me first,
that was one of the saddest I have ever had in all my life, and yet not
all sad.

* *