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Rh knowing that his own title gave him a semblance of wealth and of station he had not.

She smiled slighUy, there were both wonder at his honesty, and comprehension of his motives in that smile; the candour and the integrity of his nature were very new to her, and moved her to a wonder almost kindred to reverence.

"You are rich, I think," she said, a little wearily. "You have strength liberty, manhood, independence, honour;—how many have forfeited or never owned those birthrights! You chose very wisely to take a wanderer's freedom rather than the slavery of the world."

Erceldoune shook himself with a restless gesture, as an eagle chained shakes his wings:

"Ich diene nicht Vasallen!" he muttered in his beard.

She laughed, but her gaze dwelt on him in sympathy with the fiery independence of his nature.

"Never the vassal of a slave? Then never be the slave of a woman!" He looked at her, and there was something wistful in the look; he wondered if she knew her power over him, and if she made a jest of it; he could not answer her with that badinage, that gay light homage, that subtle flattery, to which she was accustomed;