The merciful God, as I would hope, is mindful of me the while,--as a faithful shepherd does not forget even the worst and most widely-straying of his flock, but calls after it with an anxious voice in the gloomy wilderness." Then the anger of the baron was quite melted.

Two bright tears stood in his eyes, and he said: "No, assuredly, God has not forgotten thee; only do thou not forget thy gracious God.

I did not come to rebuke thee--I came to bless thee in Gabrielle's name and in my own.

The Lord preserve thee, the Lord guide thee, the Lord lift thee up! And, Sintram, on the far-off shores of Normandy I shall bear thee in mind, and I shall hear how thou strugglest against the curse which weighs down thy unhappy life; and if thou ever shake it off, and stand as a noble conqueror over Sin and Death, then thou shalt receive from me a token of love and reward, more precious then either thou or I can understand at this moment." The words flowed prophetically from the baron's lips; he himself was only half-conscious of what he said.

With a kind salutation he turned his noble steed, and again flew down the valley towards the sea-shore.
"Fool, fool! thrice a fool!" whispered the angry voice of the little Master in Sintram's ear.