That night he lay on his straw and could not sleep. What struck him most was the gentle manners of the people in the cottage. He longed to join them, but did not dare.
He remembered too well what the villagers had done to him. Whatever he might do later, for now he resolved to stay hidden in the hovel, watch them, and learn what moved them.
Each day in the cottage followed the same pattern. The young man worked outdoors and the young woman worked in the house. The old man was blind, and spent his time playing his instrument or lost in thought.