Now, mark me, _Hew_! Thus went I on _for three whole Years_, and ne'er once lost Hold of my Stay. What Man hath done, Man may do. I was not like one working on Hope, for I had had none given me. I say not that I was always borne up to High-water Mark. Questionless, there were daily Ebbs and Flows; and ever and anon, a mighty, powerful, rushing Wind would come, and drive back the Current on an Heap, leaving bare the stony Channel; till after a While, with strong Recoil, it came hurrying back, ready to sweep all before it. But, _I never let go the Rope_! Many Waters cannot quench Love, neither can the Floods drown it. Deep might call hoarsely unto Deep, but not prevail.... Speak as if I felt it? Why, I _do_! I am an oldish Man now, at least you think me not over young; but there are some good and pure Feelings, Lad, thou wilt never become dull to, so long as thou keepest thy Heart with all Diligence. And the best of it is, that whilst those Feelings, so far as they were pleasant, are pleasant still, the Pains, then so bitter, that came from keeping down all that was wrong with a strong Hand, are now Pleasures too!—that are recalled over and over again: when, maybe, we seem cogitating or dozing. Give me thy Hand, Lad: I see you believe me. So did Master _Hewet_ believe me. We were, I fancy, often thinking at the same Time of the same Matter; but thereof spake we none. I was not watched; neither did he make a Shew of not watching me: only gave me daily Proofs of a deepening and enlarging Confidence. I heard him say one Day to one of his fellow Aldermen, ere the Door was well closed behind me, "It were a poor Word, Master _Bowyer_, to say I could trust that young Man with untold Gold." But those Ebbs and Flows I spake of ... sometimes they arose from mine own unmanageable Thoughts, I wist not why nor wherefore; sometimes from the Approach of this or that Suitor ... for, towards the End of the Term I named, there were full many, I promise you; though, for the most Part, not dangerous ones: sometimes from Mistress _Anne_ herself, who began to have _her_ Ebbs and Flows too, both of Spirits and Temper; and who, when some of her Suitors, more unpleasing unto her than the Rest, did make Suit to her with Over-boldness, would become pettish and captious, not only with them but with me and with every one else.