The Night Land

And this way I came to her; and her great dog that was with me, to bound

beside me, in thought, mayhap, that it was some game. And when I came to

the Lady Mirdath, I held out my hands to her, not knowing what I did;

but only the telling of my heart that needed her so utter, and craved to

ease her of her pain. And lo! she put out her arms to me, and came into

mine arms with a little run. And there she bode, weeping strangely; but

yet with rest upon her; even as rest was come sudden and wondrous upon

me. And sudden, she moved in mine arms, and slipt her hands to me, very

dear, and held her lips up to me, like some sweet child, that I kiss

her; but, indeed, she was also a true woman, and in honest and dear love

of me. And this to be the way of our betrothal; and simple and wordless it was;

yet sufficient, only that there is no sufficiency in Love.

Now, presently, she loosed herself out of mine arms, and we walked

homeward through the woods, very quiet, and holding hands, as children

do. And I then in a while to ask her about the man of the Court; and she

laughed very sweet into the silence of the wood; but gave me no answer,

save that I wait until we were come to the Hall.

And when we were come there, she took me into the great hall, and made a

very dainty and impudent bow, mocking me. And so made me known to

another lady, who sat there, upon her task of embroidering, which she

did very demure, and as that she had also a dainty Mischief lurking in

her. And truly, the Lady Mirdath never to be done of naughty laughter, that

made her dearly breathless with delight, and to sway a little, and set

the trembling of pretty sounds in her throat; and surely she must pull

down two great pistols from an arm-rack, that I fight a duel to the

death with the lady of the embroidering, who held her face down over her

work, and shook likewise with the wickedness of her laughter that she

could not hide.

And in the end, the Lady of the Embroidering looked up sudden into my

face; and I then to see somewhat of the mischief in a moment; for she

had the face of the man of the Court suit, that had been lover to

Mirdath. And the Lady Mirdath then to explain to me how that Mistress Alison

(which was her name) was a dear and bosom friend, and she it was that

had been drest in the Court suit to play a prank for a wager with a

certain young man who would be lover to her, an he might. And I then to

come along, and so speedy to offence that truly I never saw her face

plain, because that I was so utter jealous. And so the Lady Mirdath had

been more justly in anger than I supposed, because that I had put hands

upon her friend, as I have told.