The Young Lady's Counsellor by Daniel Wise

THE SECRET SFRirs'GS OF SELF-RELIANCE. 153
Dert I Gilbert "
! Curious crowds gathered round
ner. asking a tliousand questions, none of which she
under.:tood, and to which she responded by the
watchword of her love — " Gilbert "
! At last, a
servant of the knight recognized her, and informed
his master. Admiring the streng-th and romantic
heroism of her affection, and bound by a sense of
knightly honor, the brave crusader led her to the
altar, and made her his rejoicing bride. That lady
afterwards became the mother of the celebrated
Thomas a Becket, — a prelate, whose power was
feared even by his royal master, the King of England.
Now, however we may admire the
simplicity and
the love of this maiden, we cannot fail to perceive
her imprudence. That she was successful, does not
diminish the actual folly of her enterprise ; for she
was far more likely to perish than to succeed. She
cast herself upon a sea of dangerous adventure,
relying upon the resources of her affection ; which,
viewed apart from the casualty which saved her,
verQ utteny insufficient for her purpose.
She rel'ed