Hepicturedherintrouble，indangerfromthesavagesoldierythatcameandwentlikeevilshadowsthroughthesepleasantSaxonvalleys，leavingdeathandmiserybehindthem：burnthomesteads;wild—eyedwomen，hidingtheirfacesfromthelight。Wouldhenotforhersakegivehislife？
SoitwasmadecleartohimthatlittleElsawashislove。
Untilnextmorning，when，raisinghiseyesfromthewhirlingsaw，therestoodbeforehimMargot，laughing。Margot，mischief—loving，wayward，thatwouldeverbetohimthebabyhehadplayedwith，nursed，andcomforted。Margotweary!Hadhenotathousandtimescarriedhersleepinginhisarms。Margotindanger!Atthemerethoughthisfaceflushedanangryscarlet。
AllthatafternoonUlrichcommunedwithhimself，triedtounderstandhimself，andcouldnot。ForElsaandMargotandHedwigwerenottheonlyonesbyalongway。Whatgirlinthevillagedidhenotlove，ifitcametothat：Liesel，whoworkedsohardandlivedsopoorly，bulliedbyhercross—grainedgranddam。Susanna，plainandalittlecrotchety，whohadneverhadasweethearttocoaxthethinlipsintosmiles。Thelittleones—forsotheyseemedtolong，lankyUlrich，withtheirpleasantways—Ulrichsmiledashethoughtofthem—howshouldamanloveonemorethananother？
TheHerrPfarrershookhisheadandsighed。