“Brother,” said Ethne that evening, as they sat alone together, while Fabricius held a great banquet for his kinsmen, “I think I understand about Leo and the slaves. It is only because he has never had the _gift_ of being himself a slave. Thank God, our Patrick had been a captive, and so learnt the heart of a captive and a slave. And you see even the All-Merciful had to become one of us, that He might be touched with the feeling of our infirmities.” Baithene was silent a few minutes, and then he said in a low, deep voice, taking his sister’s hands in his own— “If ever we are lifted back to our place among the _few_, little sister, God grant we may never lose the lessons learnt by living down among the _many_!” [Illustration] [Illustration] CHAPTER XV. RANSOMS AND CAPTIVITIES. One winter morning, not long after the Epiphany, when Damaris and Ethne were sitting together quietly reading in a room opening on the long pillared corridor, they were surprised by the angry barking of a dog, followed by cries of pain from a human voice. In a moment Ethne was away. “It is Bran!” she said; “he is killing something, or some one is killing him; perhaps both.” In a few minutes she returned, with the dog crouching penitently beside her, with apologizing ears and tail, whilst behind her came Marius, leading a roughly-clad stranger, who was slightly limping. It was Dewi, the British sailor. When the joyful greetings between Marius and his mother and sister were over, they all re-entered the portico, and Dewi threw himself down at Ethne’s feet and kissed the hem of her garment. In his arms he carried a large package, which he laid at her feet with every possible expression and gesture of homage. “What is he saying?” Lucia asked. “He is only giving me great titles in our own language,” said Ethne, “princess, and lady, and I know not what else, and saying we have saved his life now for the second time.” Meantime Bran continued giving out low growls, evidently endeavouring to awaken his friends to danger, with a desponding conviction that his remonstrances were not likely to be attended to. “What is the dog saying?” Lucia asked, “as you seem to know everybody’s language.” “He is reminding us, I suppose, how Dewi gave him a blow with a club when the pirates took us captive.” Then Marius intervened— “Excuse me, lady!” he said to Ethne and his mother and sister. “The dog hurried the introduction. But to you, mother, I see this lady needs no introduction of mine.” At that moment Fabricius appeared from another door with Baithene. Ethne arose, and clasping her brother’s hands, said with quivering voice— “_They live!_ they are well!” and again Dewi’s homage was repeated to Baithene; and then he placed in his hands a large bag which he had kept closely wrapped in his plaid. “What does it all mean?” Fabricius asked, much perplexed by these sudden appearances, and by the various languages, human and canine.