joicing
for him. And he saw that all memory of what had happened had been
washed from them. But with Ambrose it was different, for he who had had
his very mind effaced, in recovering his mind remembered all. And after
the meal he took Hobb aside and said, "Tell me what has happened to
you."

Then Hobb said, "Some things happen which are between two people only,
and they can never be told. And what has passed in this last month,
dear Ambrose, is only for her knowledge and mine. But as to what is
going to happen, I do not yet know."

After a moment's silence Ambrose said, "Tell me this at least. Has she
given you a gift?"

"She has given me you again," said Hobb.

"That is different," said Ambrose. "She has given us ourselves again,
and our power to pursue the destiny of our natures. But no man is
another man's destiny. And it was our error to barter our own powers to
another in exchange for the small goals our natures desired. And so we
lost a treasure for a trifle. For every man's power is greater than the
thing he achieves by it. But what has she given you in exchange for
what she has taken from you?" And as he spoke he looked into Hobb's
gentle eyes, and thought that if he had lost his heart it was a loss
that had somehow multiplied his possession of it. "What has she given
you?" he said again.

"I shall not know," said Hobb, "until I have been to my garden. And I
must go alone. And afterwards, Ambrose, I must ride away for another
night and day, but then I will return to the Burgh for ever."

So he got his horse, and went to the Gardener's Hill, and his garden
was blazing with flowers like a joyous welcome. But when he approached
the bush on which his heart was set, he saw a great gold bloom upon it
that startled him with its beauty; until coming closer he perceived
that all the petals were rotten at the heart, and coiled in the center
was a small black snake.

He plucked the rose from its stem, and as he looked at it his face grew
bright, and he suddenly laughed aloud for joy; and he ran out of the
garden and got on his horse, and rode with all his speed to Open
Winkins. When he got there the moon had risen over the Pilleygreen
Lodges.

And Margaret sat at the door of her lodge in the moonlight, putting the
last stitches into her work.

But when she saw him coming she broke her thread, and rose and averted
her head. Then Hobb dismounted and came and stood beside her, and saw
that in some way she was cha