48  Will you make of your love a prison?  Would you bind him to you, alone, for fear that he might love someone else more?  Woman, I tell you, such love would eat your soul.  You would spend your life in fear."
   49  The Voice took her hand between his.  "Listen to me, woman," he pleaded, "give the man who loves you a chance, open your door, take his hand.  Be to him a mate. Know him as you did before, and see if my words are true or false.  Give it two months and if what I say is not true, go your way."
    50  "If he still loves me," asked Yellow Blossom, "why did he ask me to let you know me?  He has never asked that before."
    51  The Voice thought for a moment. "Before," explained The Voice, "you were an only wife, and it would not have been proper to have you offer hospitality to a guest.  That would be against custom."
    52  Yellow Blossom's eyes widened. "Of course!"  she wept, "Of course it would be!" She lowered her head. "Lord," she explained, "your company is not unpleasant, understand that. I, in no way, desire to shame you; I simply cannot."
    53  "Then if you wish," answered The Voice, "you may stay and do nothing.  I am a man of honor. I would not take a woman against her will."
    54  Yellow Blossom smiled, took off her robes, and laid down.  The Voice put out the light and laid down with her.  Though they did not know each other, their closeness through the night gave each other comfort.
    55 In the morning Yellow Blossom was gone when The Voice awoke, but when he sat down for breakfast, Gray Toad came up to him.
    56  "She came to me this morning," he explained, "took my hand, and kissed it, and said she would be waiting for me tonight!  Lord, you are a worker of miracles!  I had given up all hope!"
    57  "Just treat her as you always have," instructed The Voice, "That which was between you will return."
    58  They ate a hardy breakfast and were about to be on their way, when there came a rap at the door.  Gentle Bear answered it, and found the beggar from the day before standing there.  "I would like to speak with The Voice." asked The Beggar.
    59  "Only if you promise me there'll be no trouble," insisted Gentle Bear. "I must run an errand and cannot stay.  But you may enter if you give me your word there will be no trouble."
    60  "By the Lords I love," assured The Beggar," I give my word."
    61  "Then that is sufficient," said Gentle Bear.  He stepped aside, let The Beggar in, and himself departed.
    62  The Beggar came over to The Voice. "Good Lord," he began, "my apologies for yesterday.  I ask your forgiveness for my bad temper."
    63  "You are forgiven," answered the Voice. "Perhaps, also, I was in error for being so harsh, not understanding the problems here."
    64  "Tell me, Lord," asked the Beggar, "what is wrong with begging?  My father was a beggar, and his father before him, before we came out of Tr and took your Faith. And we considered it an honorable profession. I have a mate and two little ones.  If I do not beg, how will they get bread?"
    65  "Before The Lords eyes," explained The Voice, "a beggar is little better than a thief...especially those who take money under false pretenses.  For those when they enter The Spirit World, will find harsh judgment.  They will have to pay back every coin they have ever begged double.
    66  It is not right to steal from others, to lie to them and take their coins under false pretenses.  You should get your coins by honest labor; with your mind or with your hands, should you earn your bread, not by trickery and deceit."
    67  The Beggar bowed his head. "I do not doubt, Lord, the words you say.  Perhaps in my heart I have known this to be true.  But what am I to do?  Begging is the only thing I know.  How am I to feed my little ones, what am I to do?"
    68  The Voice thought for a minute. "Do you know," he asked, "that a person gathering funds for Church is entitled to an allowance of ten per cent of what he earns, not exceeding twenty-five coppers a week...the normal Speaker's allowance?
    69  Instead of begging for yourself, beg for The Lords!  There are many projects in this city desperate to be done.  I have seen streets that need paving, public rest areas that need repair.  Go to the people in these areas.  Raise the funds for the work and we can hire the poor to do it.  I'm sure with your skill, you will raise enough money to get your twenty-five coppers a week."

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