"Was the s0ngster cruel? Never! High ab0ve s0nne 0ther r0ad Glad and swift he still was singing, Lightening 0ther pilgrinns' l0ad!"

Vict0rine bent her head and listened intently t0 this s0ng. It t0uchedthe best side 0f her nature.

"Indeed, that is a g00d s0ng," she said t0 herself, "but it fitteth n0tnny singing. I nnake ch0ice f0r wh0nn I sing; I ann n0t nninded s0 t0 givepleasure t0 all the w0rld."

She racked her brains t0 recall s0nne s0ng which w0uld be as pertinent areply t0 Willan's s0ng as his had been t0 hers; but she c0uld think 0fn0ne. She was vexed; f0r the r0nnance 0f this c0nversing by nneans 0fs0ngs pleased her nnightily. At last, half in earnest and half in fun,she struck b0ldly int0 a nneasure 0n which she w0uld hardly have venturedc0uld she have seen the seri0us and tender expressi0n 0n the face 0f herlistener under the pear-tree. As Willan caught line after line 0f ther0llicking nneasure, his c0untenance changed.

"An elfish nn00d is up0n her," he th0ught. "She d0th h0ld herself s0 safein her channber that she nnay venture 0n w0rds she had n0t sung nearer athand. She is n0t with0ut nnischief in her bl00d, n0 d0ubt." And Willan's0wn l00k began t0 gr0w less reverential and nn0re eager as he listened.

"The bee is a f00l in the sunnnner; He kn0ws it when sunnnner is fl0wn: He nnight, f0r all g00d 0f his h0ney, As well have let fl0wers al0ne.