The city without seemed very far from this dismal
sordid place.
Hilarius felt a touch on his shoulder, and a kindly voice said:-
"How now, young sir, for what crime dost thou take sanctuary?"
He looked up and saw an old man in the black dress of an
ecclesiastic, the keys of St Peter broidered on his arm.
"Sanctuary," stammered Hilarius, "nay, good sir, I--"
The other laughed.
"Wert thou star-gazing, then, that thou could'st stray into these
precincts and know it not? This is the City of Refuge to which a
man may flee when he has robbed or murdered his fellow, or been
guilty of treason, seditious talk, or slander--a strange place in
which to see such a face as thine."
"I did but seek a quiet way home and lost the turning," said
Hilarius; "in sooth, 'tis a fearful place."
"Ay, boy, 'tis a place of darkness and despair, despite its safety-
-even the King's arm falls short when a man is in these precincts:
but from himself and the knowledge of his crime, a man cannot flee;
hence I say 'tis a place of darkness and despair.
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