rom her own gold locks, so
the snake had been done from the one black lock in the gold. Then at
last Hobb understood why she had cried she was not good enough to be
his bride, for she had fought in vain her last dark impulse to prepare
death for the woman who should wear the bridal-smock. And he understood
too the meaning of her last wonderful look, as she took the death upon
herself. And he loved her, both for her fault and her redemption of it,
more than he had ever thought that he could love her; for he had
believed that in their kiss love had reached its uttermost. But love
has no uttermost, as the stars have no number and the sea no rest.

Now at first Hobb thought to pluck the serpent from her breast, but
then he said, "Of what use to destroy the children of evil? It is evil
itself we must destroy at the roots." And very carefully he undid her
beautiful hair, and laid its two gold waves on either side; but the
slim black tress he gathered up in his hand until he held every hair of
it, and one by one he plucked them from her head. And every time he
plucked a hair the pain that had been under his heart stabbed him with
a sting that seemed like death, and with each sting the mortal agony
grew more acute, till it was as though the powers of evil were spitting
burning venom on that steadfast heart, to wither it before it could
frustrate them. But he did not falter once; and as he plucked the last
hair out, Margaret opened her eyes. Then all pain leapt like a winged
snake from his heart, and he forgot everything but the joy and wonder
in her eyes as she lay looking up at him, and said, "What has happened
to me? and what have you done?" And she saw the tress in his hand and
understood, and she kissed the hand that had plucked the evil from her.
Then, her smoky eyes shining with tears, but a smile on her pale lips,
she said, "Come, and we will drown that hair for ever." So hand-in-hand
they went across Open Winkins and over the way that led to the Red
Copse. And as they pushed and scrambled through the bushes, what do you
think they saw? First a shimmering light round the edge of the pool,
and then a sheet of moon-daisies, the largest, whitest, purest blooms
that ever were. And they stood there on their tall straight stems of
tender green in hundreds and hundreds, guarding and sanctifying the
place. It was like a dark cathedral with white lilies on the high
altar. And they saw a cock blackbird wetting his whistle at the po