The servants stood aside respectfully as he entered the castle,
and they and the other guests of that unlucky day gathered round
him while his lordship told them how the box had been found and
how he could not rest until forgiven by the brave hero he had so
unjustly suspected of wrong.
"And now," said the company, "will you not tell us one thing
more? Why did you refuse to empty your pockets, as all the rest
were willing to do?"
"Because," said the old soldier sorrowfully, "because I WAS a
thief, and I could not bear that anyone should discover it! All
whom I loved best in the world were lying sick at home, starving
for want of the delicacies I could not provide, and I felt as if
my heart would break to see my plate heaped with luxuries while
they had not so much as a taste! I thought a mouthful of what I
did not need might save them, and when no one was looking I
slipped some choice bits from my plate between two pieces of
bread and made way with them into my pocket. I could not let
them be discovered for a soldier is too proud to beg, but oh, my
lord, he can bear being called a thief all his life better than
he can dine sumptuously while there is only black bread at home
for the sick and weak whom he loves!"
Tears came streaming from the old soldier's listeners by this
time, and each vied with the other in heaping honors and gifts in
place of the disgrace suffered so long; but all that was
powerless to make up for the past.
Two good lessons may be learned from the story: Never believe any
one guilty who is not really proved to be so.
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