Were there none other, I should place myself in your hands, and yield myself over to blind obedience of your desires.

But such an one there is; dear to you already by his own deeds, now doubly dear to me, since he is my son by my daughter's love.

He is young, whereas I am old.

He is strong and brave and true; but my days of the usefulness of strength and bravery are over.

For myself, I have long contemplated as the crown of my later years a quiet life in one of our monasteries, where I can still watch the whirl of the world around us on your behalf, and be a counsellor of younger men of more active minds.