the well well you saved me from the ice and i have saved you from the water ah who was it that led me to row round by that outer isle last night because i could not sleep but what does it matter god willed it so and here you lie in the mare s stable nay do not me first you must eat then going to the pot she took it from the fire pouring its contents into an basin and at the smell of them for the first time for days felt hungry of what that was she never learned but she ate it to the last and was thankful while seated on the ground beside her watched her with delight from time to time stretching out a long thin hand to touch the brown hair that hung about her shoulders come out and look said when her guest had done eating and she led her through the doorway of the hut gazed round her but in truth there was not much to see the hut itself was hidden away in a little of swamp that grew upon a mound in the midst of a plain broken here and there by patches of reed and walking across this plain for a hundred yards or so they came to more and in them a boat hidden for here was the water of the lake and not fifty paces away what seemed to be the shore of an island the mare bade her get into the boat and rowed her across to this island then round it to another and thence to another and yet another now tell me she said upon which of them is my stable built shook her head helplessly you cannot tell no nor any living man i say that no man lives who could find it save i myself who know the path there by night or by day look and she pointed to the vast surface of the mere on this great sea are thousands of such and before they find me the must search them all for here upon the lonely waters no or hound will help them then she began to row again without even looking round and presently they were in the of from which they had started i must be going home faltered no answered it is too late you have slept long look the sun is fast this night you must stop with me oh do not be afraid my fare is rough but it is sweet and fresh and plenty fish from the mere as much as you will for who can catch them better than i and water fowl that i yes and their eggs moreover dried flesh and bacon which i get from the for there i have friends whom sometimes i meet at night the mare s stable so yielded for the great peace of this lake pleased her oh after all that she had gone through it was like heaven to watch the sun sinking towards the quiet water to hear the wild fowl call to see the fish leap and the flash by and above all to be sure that by nothing short of a could this divine silence broken only of nature s voices be with the sound of the hated accents of the man who had ruined and betrayed her yes she was weary and a strange languor crept over her she would rest there this night also so they went back to the hut and made ready their evening meal and as she the fish over the fire of verily found herself laughing like a girl again then they ate it with appetite and after it was done mother prayed aloud yes and without fear although she knew to be a catholic read from her one treasure a testament crouching there in the light of the fire and saying see lady what a place this is for a to bide in where else may a woman read from the bible and fear no spy or priest a certain story shivered at her words now said the mare when she had finished reading tell me before you sleep what it was that brought you into the waters of the mere and what that spanish man has done to you do not be afraid for though i am mad or so they say i can keep counsel and between you and me are many bonds us van s daughter some of which you know and see and some that you can neither know nor see but which god will in his own season looked at the weird countenance distorted and made by long torment of body and mind and found in it something to trust yes even signs of that sympathy which she so sorely needed so she told her all the tale from the first word of it to the last the mare listened in silence for no story of evil by a seemed to move or astonish her only when had done she said ah child had you but known of me and where to find me you should have asked my aid why mother what could you have done answered done i would have followed him by night until i found my chance in some lonely place and there i would have then she stretched out her bony hand to the red light of the fire and saw that in it was a knife she sank back aghast why are you frightened my pretty lady asked the mare i tell you that i live on for only one thing � to kill yes priests first and then the others oh i have a long count to pay for every time that he was tortured a life for every groan he uttered at the stake a life yes so many for the father and half as many for the son 