“Nothing to eat? Did you not ask for something?”
“I went to the Rectory. Passon Fielding gave me a loaf, but I took it home--wife and little ones were more starving than I, and I cut it up between ’em.”
“I think--I almost think I have a piece of bread with me,” said Kate. She had, in fact, taken some in her pocket the night before, when she crossed, and had forgotten to eat it, or had no appetite for it. Now she produced the slice.
“I cannot take it,” said the bound man. “My hands be tied fast behind me. You must please put it into my mouth; and the Lord bless you for it.”
Holding the cord with her right, Kate extended the bread with the other hand to the man, whose face was averted, and thrust it between his lips.
“You must hold your hand to my mouth while I eat,” said he. “I wouldn’t miss a crumb, and it will fall if you take your hand from me.”
Consequently, with her hand full of bread much broken, she fed the unfortunate man, and he ate it out of her palm. He ate greedily till he had consumed the last particle.
It moved Kate to the heart to feel the hungry wretch’s lips picking the crumbs out of her palm.
“Oh, Roger!” she said in a tone full of compassion and sorrow, rather than reproach, “why--why did you do it?”
“Do what, Kitty?”