The Night Land

Now you must not think that I was not utter stirred by the wonder of

this thing, that we had both a dreamful knowledge of the same matters,

of which each had thought none other knew. Yet, when I questioned more,

there was much that had been in my fancies that was foreign to her, and

likewise much that had been familiar to her, that was of no meaning to

me. But though there was this, that brought a little regret to us, there

would be, time and again, some new thing that one told, that the other

knew and could finish the telling of, to the gladness and amazement of

both. And so shall you picture us wandering and having constant speech, so

that, hour by hour, we grew gladly aged in dear knowledge and sweet

friendship of the other.

And truly, how the time passed, I know not; but there came presently a

hullabaloo, and the shouts of men's voices and the baying of dogs, and

the gleam of lanthorns, so that I knew not what to think; until, very

sudden, and with a sweet and strange little laughter, the Lady Mirdath

to perceive that we had missed the hours utter in our converse; so that

her Guardian (made uneasy because of the three foot-pads) had ordered a

search. And we all that time a-wander together in happy forgetfulness.

And we turned homeward, then, and came towards the lights; but indeed,

the dogs found us before we were come there; and they had grown to know

me now, and leaped about me, barking very friendly; and so in a minute

the men had discovered us, and were gone back to tell Sir Jarles that

all was well. And this was the way of our meeting and the growing of our acquaintance,

and the beginning of my great love for Mirdath the Beautiful.

Now, from that time onward, evening by evening would I go a-wander along

the quiet and country road that led from my estate to the estate of Sir

Jarles. And always I went inward by the hedge-gap; and oft I should find

the Lady Mirdath walking in that part of the woods; but always with her

great boar-hounds about her; for I had begged that she do this thing for

her sweet safety; and she to seem wishful to pleasure me; but truly to

be just so oft utter perverse in diverse matters; and to strive to

plague me, as though she would discover how much I would endure and how

far she might go to anger me.

And, truly, well I remember how that one night, coming to the hedge-gap,

I saw two country-maids come thence out from the woods of Sir Jarles';

but they were naught to me, and I would have gone upward through the

gap, as ever; only that, as they passed me, they curtseyed somewhat

over-graceful for rough wenches. And I had a sudden thought, and came up

to them to see them more anigh; and truly I thought the taller was

surely the Lady Mirdath. But, indeed, I could not be sure; for when I

asked who she did be, she only to simper and to curtsey again; and so

was I very natural all in doubt; but yet sufficient in wonder (having

some knowledge of the Lady Mirdath) to follow the wenches, the which I

did. And they then, very speedy and sedate, as though I were some rack-rape

that they did well to be feared of alone at night; and so came at last

to the village green, where a great dance was a-foot, with torches, and

a wandering fiddler to set the tune; and ale in plenty.