He remembered too how, when imprisoned in the cave belonging to Spiritual Pride, he had read the rules that were to be followed by his soldiers, and that one of them was to persuade the man they were in league against, to talk of himself. He recognized, too, the fact, that all the time he had been deceiving himself into believing that he was praising his King he was praising himself, and he recollected the words of the old pilgrim which at the time they were spoken had filled him with vexation: "Disappoint not our King." And had he not disappointed Him? Ah! how much! As Amer descended into the valley, filled with these thoughts, a great hunger took possession of him, a hunger for the Presence of his King and for His approbation. After all, what did the flattery of man matter in comparison with one word of praise from his King. All those who had hung upon his lips, listening to his advice and to his experiences, had probably by now forgotten him: while the King, Whom he had neglected, was still loving him and thinking of him. In the old days, Amer might have fancied that his sin had robbed him of the love of his King. But he knew his King better now, and he had read in his Guide Book, that "'neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature'" could separate him from the love of his King. So he knew that He must be still looking down in love and pity upon him; although his sins had come as a cloud to hide Him from his sight. And at the thought of His love, of His tender compassion, of His patience with him, notwithstanding his many falls, and the constant disappointments he had caused Him, a great longing took possession of his soul, and he cried out in the words of the Guide Book, "'My soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.' 'As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, O God.'" At last, as he reached the bottom of the valley, he perceived a cross standing in the midst of the path along which he had to tread, and with a cry of gratitude he flung himself beneath its shadow, and a great peace stole in upon him; the peace of sin forgiven. Spiritual Pride's soldiers, who had been following at a distance, hoping for an opportunity of wounding him again, and anxious lest Amer should altogether escape them, at the sight of the cross and of the prostrate figure of the young soldier at its foot, felt that their power was almost gone, and leaving only one to keep watch at his elbow, and to give them a warning should a likely chance occur again of wounding him, turned back to worry and annoy some other poor traveller. But the man they had left behind felt his post to be a discouraging one, as Amer, on rising to continue his journey again, was on the watch, so that Spiritual Pride's emissary could not get near him.