Thus they abode for about the space of one minute: and meanwhile
the big man rose up on one knee and steadied him with his sword for a
moment of time, and the blade was bloody from the point half way up
to the hilt; but the black knight lay still and made no sign of life.
Then the Knight of the Sun rose up slowly and stood on his feet and faced
the Lady and seemed not to see Ralph, for his back was towards him.
He came slowly toward the Lady, scowling, and his face white as chalk;
then he spake to her coldly and sternly, stretching out his bloody
sword before her.
"I have done thy bidding, and slain my very earthly friend of friends
for thy sake. Wherewith wilt thou reward me?"
Then once more Ralph heard the voice, which he remembered so
sweet amidst peril and battle aforetime, as she said as coldly
as the Knight: "I bade thee not: thine own heart bade thee
to strive with him because thou deemedst that he loved me.
Be content! thou hast slain him who stood in thy way,
as thou deemedst. Thinkest thou that I rejoice at his slaying?
O no! I grieve at it, for all that I had such good cause
to hate him."
He said: "My own heart! my own heart! Half of my heart biddeth me
slay thee, who hast made me slay him. What wilt thou give me?"
She knit her brow and spake angrily: "Leave to depart," she said.
Then after a while, and in a kinder voice: "And thus much
of my love, that I pray thee not to sorrow for me, but to have
a good heart, and live as a true knight should.
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