“Full a score. One may not hope to escape.” After a pause — hesitatingly: “and there be other reasons — and weightier.”

“Other ones? What are they?”

“Well, they say — oh, but I daren’t, indeed daren’t!”

“Why, poor lad, what is the matter?

Why do you blench? Why do you tremble so?”

“Oh, in sooth, there is need! I do want to tell you, but — ”

“Come, come, be brave, be a man — speak out, there’s a good lad!”

He hesitated, pulled one way by desire, the other way by fear; then he stole to