The Night Land

And I caught Mirdath the Beautiful by her shoulders, and shook her very

soundly, in my anger. And afterward, I sent the maid onward; and she,

having no word from her Mistress to stay, went forward a little; and in

this fashion we came at last to the hedge-gap, with the Lady Mirdath

very hushed; but yet walking anigh to me, as that she had some secret

pleasure of my nearness. And I led her through the gap, and so homeward

to the Hall; and there bid her good-night at a side door that she held

the key of. And, truly, she bid me good-night in an utter quiet voice;

and was almost as that she had no haste to be gone from me that night.

Yet, when I met her on the morrow, she was full of a constant impudence

to me; so that, having her alone to myself, when the dusk was come, I

asked her why she would never be done of her waywardness; because that I

ached to have companionship of her; and, instead, she denied my need.

And, at that, she was at once very gentle; and full of a sweet and

winsome understanding; and surely knew that I wished to be rested; for

she brought out her harp, and played me dear olden melodies of our

childhood-days all that evening; and so had my love for her the more

intent and glad. And she saw me that night to the hedge-gap, having her

three great boar-hounds with her, to company her home again. But,

indeed, I followed her afterwards, very silent, until I saw her safe

into the Hall; for I would not have her alone in the night; though she

believed that I was then far away on the country road. And as she walked

with her dogs, one or another would run back to me, to nose against me

friendly-wise; but I sent them off again very quiet; and she had no

knowledge of aught; for she to go singing a love-song quietly all the

way home. But whether she loved me, I could not tell; though she had a

nice affection for me.

Now, on the following evening, I went somewhat early to the gap; and lo!

who should be standing in the gap, talking to the Lady Mirdath; but a

very clever-drest man, that had a look of the Court about him; and he,

when I approached, made no way for me through the gap; but stood firm,

and eyed me very insolent; so that I put out my hand, and lifted him

from my way.

And lo! the Lady Mirdath turned a bitterness of speech upon me that gave

me an utter pain and astonishment; so that I was assured in a moment

that she had no true love for me, or she had never striven so to put me

to shame before the stranger, and named me uncouth and brutal to a

smaller man. And, indeed, you shall perceive how I was in my heart in

that moment. And I saw that there was some seeming of justice in what the Lady

Mirdath said; but yet might the man have shown a better spirit; and

moreover Mirdath the Beautiful had no true call to shame me, her true

friend and cousin, before this stranger. Yet did I not stop to argue;

but bowed very low to the Lady Mirdath; and afterward I bowed a little

to the man and made apology; for, indeed, he was neither great nor

strong-made; and I had been better man to have shown courtesy to him; at

least in the first. And so, having done justice to my own respect, I turned and went on, and

left them to their happiness