Still I was so foolish, being so happy, that I could not understand what he meant. 'I am sure, Benjamin,' I said, 'that we at home shall ever rejoice and be proud of your success. Nobody will be more happy to hear of it than Robin and I.' Here he turned very red and muttered something. 'You find your happiness in courts and clubs and London,' I went on; 'as for Robin and myself, we shall find ours in the peaceful place which we have always decided to have.' 'What the Devil!' he cried, 'she will not tell you the conditions? She came with me for no other purpose. I have borne with her company all the way from Exeter for this only. Go back to her, and ask what it is! Go back, I say, and make her tell! What! am I to take all this trouble for nothing?' His face became purple with sudden rage; his eyes grew swiftly fierce, and he roared and bawled at me. Why, what had I said? 'Benjamin,' I cried, 'what is the matter? How have I angered you?' 'Go back!' he roared again. 'Tell her that if I presently come and find thee still in ignorance 'twill be the worse for all! Tell her that _I_ say it. 'Twill else be worse for all!' CHAPTER XXX. A SLIGHT THING AT THE BEST. So I left Benjamin much frightened, and marvelling, both at his violent passion, and at the message which he sent to Madam. She was waiting for me at the lodging. 'Madam,' I said, 'I have seen Benjamin. He is very angry. He bade me go home and ask you concerning his conditions. We must not anger our best friend, dear Madam.' She rose from her chair and began to walk about, wringing her hands as if torn by some violent emotion. 'Oh! my child,' she cried; 'Alice, come to my arms--if it is for the last time--my daughter. More than ever mine, though I must never call thee daughter.' She held me in her arms, kissing me tenderly. 'My dear, we agreed that no sacrifice could be too great for the safety of our boy. Yes, we agreed to that. Let us kiss each other before we do a thing after which we can never kiss each other again. No, never again.' 'Why not again, Madam?' 'Oh,' she pushed me from her, 'it is now eight of the clock, he will be here at ten! I promised I would tell thee before he came! And all is in readiness.' 'For what, Madam?' Why, even then I guessed not her meaning, though I might have done so; but I never thought that so great a wickedness was possible! 'No sacrifice should be too great for us!' she cried, clasping her head with her hands and looking wildly about. 'None too great! Not even the sacrifice of my own son's love--no; not that! Why, let us think of the sacrifices men make for their country, for their religion. Abraham was ready to offer his son, Isaac; Jephthah sacrificed his daughter; King Mesha slew his eldest son for a burnt offering. Thousands of men die every year in battle for their country. What have we to offer? If we give ourselves, it is but a slight thing that we offer at the best.'