I received those first sweet caresses from her whom the curse of my house had bereaved of her heart's love, and from whom it demanded so bitter a sacrifice! Jack, I would give my life to restore the light to her eyes, and the radiancy of youthful health and spirits to her countenance! Yet I am chained beneath the curse--powerless to free myself from its weight--doomed through its toils to die at last a horrible death, and in my miserable lifetime to wound again and again the tender spirit of my only child by the helplessness of my struggles." "Nay, my lord, say not so!" exclaimed the boatman earnestly. "Remember the last prayer of your dying wife for you, and trust that, although your name must needs perish with your fair daughter, you may at least, in God's mercy, leave it to her unstained with the horrors of past years, to wear it after you, till she shall be called hence, in a dignity and unblemished honour unknown to your forefathers for many long generations." "I would to God it might be so!" said the earl, his restless blue eyes dimmed with sudden tears. "Perchance," and he smiled sadly, "my young chaplain, your vicar, may yet make a convert of me. I hear his tongue is never silent on the subject of this evil, which has been the ruin of my house, and of how many more God knows! Yet I fear me he is before his time, and, like many another prophet, may fall a victim to his own intrepidity; for nowhere else do I hear his doctrines get publicly unfolded, and be they true they are likely to fall on unwilling ears, and reap but a tardy harvest, which he is not like to gather. I hear he hath already a band of trusty followers in the village, who form a league or what not, pledged to do deadly battle against the drinking customs of the country. Ah me, I trow he speaks more truly of the evil than the world will yet choose to believe, and hath a knowledge and insight into the matter which I warrant me no bishop on the bench can boast! Were I a trustworthy member of his solemn covenant, I could verily back up his preaching with experiences of which I have alas but too many at command; but I fear me my membership is yet far distant, for his old ancestor Ap Gryffyth cursed too well! Poor youth! He would fain undo the bitter consequences of those hideous words, but after all the old Bryn Afon, poor fool, brought them on himself, and well deserved them for his treachery! Jack, when I am presently summoned to the king, you will watch over our sweet Primrose tenderly? The Lady Rosamond has promised me to stay awhile with her here during my absence, her lord being also chosen to follow our king's fallen fortunes. I have bidden my chaplain remain here in his cure, rather than accompany me in my wanderings, seeing that my faithful Rhiwallon will e'en give me all the care I can desire, and that I would fain leave to my child the comfort of his continual presence, and to the valley the benefit of his preachings.