And, surely, she loosed it even the more sudden, and with a little
gasping of astonishment, because it was so great and hard. And
afterward, she walked by me very silent, and seeming thoughtful; but she
went never any great way off from me.
And, truly, if the Lady Mirdath had a strange pleasure in my strength, I
had likewise a constant wonder and marvel in her beauty, that had shown
but the more lovely in the candle-light at dinner.
But there were further delights to me in the days that came; for I had
happiness in the way that she had pleasure of the Mystery of the
Evening, and the Glamour of Night, and the Joy of Dawn, and all
suchlike.
And one evening, that I ever remember, as we wandered in the park-lands,
she began to say--half unthinking--that it was truly an elves-night. And
she stopped herself immediately; as though she thought I should have no
understanding; but, indeed, I was upon mine own familiar ground of
inward delight; and I replied in a quiet and usual voice, that the
Towers of Sleep would grow that night, and I felt in my bones that it
was a night to find the Giant's Tomb, or the Tree with the Great Painted
Head, or--And surely I stopped very sudden; for she gripped me in that
moment, and her hand shook as she held me; but when I would ask her what
ailed, she bid me, very breathless, to say on, to say on. And, with a
half understanding, I told her that I had but meant to speak of the Moon
Garden, that was an olden and happy fancy of mine.
And, in verity, when I said that, the Lady Mirdath cried out something
in a strange low voice, and brought me to a halt, that she might face
me. And she questioned me very earnest; and I answered just so earnest
as she; for I was grown suddenly to an excitement, in that I perceived
she knew also. And, in verity, she told me that she had knowledge; but
had thought that she was alone in the world with her knowledge of that
strange land of her dreams; and now to find that I also had travelled in
those dear, strange dream lands. And truly the marvel of it--the marvel
of it!
As she to say time and oft. And again, as we walked, she gave out
word that there was little wonder she had been urged to call to me that
night, as she saw me pause upon the road; though, indeed, she had
learned of our cousin-ship before, having seen me go by on my horse
pretty oft, and inquired concerning me; and mayhap daintily irked that I
had so little heed of Lady Mirdath the Beautiful. But, indeed, I had
thought of other matters; yet had been human enough, had I but met her
proper before I see her.