I looked down at the brown glory of her hair, glinting gems in the sunshine far more precious to me than those in the treasure-chests of kings.

And I bent my head and kissed her hair softly, so softly that she did not know.
Then sober thought came to me.

After all, she was only a woman, crying her relief, now that the danger was past, in the arms of her protector or of the one who had been endangered.

Had I been father or brother, the situation would have been in nowise different.

Besides, time and place were not meet, and I wished to earn a better right to declare my love.
So once again I softly kissed her hair as I felt her receding from my clasp.
"It was a real attack this time," I said: "another shock like the one that made him blind.