Wot ye what? E'en now I had no thought of coming hitherward;
but I was sitting amongst the trees pondering many things, when I
began to drowse, and drowsing I heard the thornbushes speaking to me
like men, and they bade me take my boat and go up the water to help
a man who was in need; and that is how I came hither; benedicite."
So he spake; but the Knight of the Sun did but put in a word
here and there, and that most often a sour and snappish word.
As for Ralph, he also spake but little, and strayed somewhat
in his answers; for he could not but deem that she spake softlier
and kinder to him than to the others; and he was dreamy with love
and desire, and scarce knew what he was saying.
Thus they wore away some two hours, the Friar or the Lady turning
away at whiles to heed the wounded man, who was now talking wildly
in his fever.
But at last the night was grown as dark as it would be,
since cloud and storm came not, for the moon had sunk down:
so the Lady said: "Now, lords, our candle hath gone out,
and I for my part will to bed; so let us each find a meet chamber
in the woodland hall; and I will lie near to thee, father, and the
wounded friend, lest I be needed to help thee in the night;
and thou, Baron of Sunway, lie thou betwixt me and the wood,
to ward me from the wild deer and the wood-wights. But thou,
Swain of Upmeads, wilt thou deem it hard to lie anear the horses,
to watch them if they be scared by aught?"
"Yea," said the Knight of the Sun, "thou art Lady here forsooth;
even as men say of thee, that thou swayest man and beast in the wildwood.
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