And soon to their cries of sorrow succeeded such wild threats and terrible execrations against their enemies for the horrid deed of the past night, that good Master Taylor rose, pale and haggard, from his knees, and rebuked them in his dead friend's name for their thoughts of vengeance, exhorting them for the sake of those dear, sleeping forms they were gazing upon with so great love and sorrow to pray like their Lord upon the bitter cross; "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!"--and to disperse in peace and quietness to their own homes. And with many other holy words he strove amid his own tears there upon the river bank to soothe their grief and calm their angry passions, till at length they stole sadly homewards one by one, leaving him, their vicar's ever-faithful friend, once more alone with the holy dead, to await the arrival of the castle guardsmen, who should bear homewards the lifeless forms of the lovers. And presently, to join him in his watch, came with tottering step the aged Master Rhys, bowed down with sorrow, and refusing to be convinced that the lovers truly slept in death; and together they kept vigil beneath the willow-tree. But among the mourners who came and went upon the river bank the weather-beaten face and bent form of Jack the boatman were missing, for he too was quietly sleeping his last sleep within the castle walls, in the fireside corner where his grand-daughter had left him, his deaf ears having heard nothing of the strife upon the hillside, nor his calm sleep been disturbed by the mighty crash of his beloved bridge as it had fallen headlong into the roaring river--for the loud report had stolen in upon his slumbers but as some far-distant echo, which to his dreaming soul had sounded as a call from his daughter in Paradise, and to which the maid-servants, rushing wildly into the room as they heard the terrifying sounds from below, had heard him answer in clear, glad tones, "Yes, my daughter, I follow quickly!" And one of them, stealing gently to his side, marvelling at his words, saw him give but one deep sigh ere his spirit passed from the land of dreams into Paradise, there to join those twin souls who at that same moment had quitted their cold prison in the waters.