And yet," he added, after a brief pause, during which the boy had sprung from his knee, with an inarticulate cry of joy, and flung himself into the minstrel's arms, "Sir Nigel hath resolutely refused the attendance of any of his former followers, who would willingly have attended him to England.

Hast thou so much influence, thinkest thou, to change his purpose in thy favor ?" "I know not," answered the boy, timidly; "yet an it please your noble lordship to permit my pleading mine own cause without witness, I may prevail, as I have done before." "Be it so, then," replied the earl.

"And now, ere we part, I would bid thee remember I have trusted thee; I have granted that to thee, without _condition_, with perfect liberty of action, which to others could only have been granted on their surrendering themselves, rescue or no rescue, even as thy master.

I have done this, trusting to that noble faithfulness, the candor and honesty of youth, which hath breathed forth in all that thou hast said.

Let me not repent it.