Birdalone flushed with hope and joy as he spake thus,
for she took him to mean that he would lead her, on
the morrow, on her way to the Castle of the Quest.
But the knight spake in a voice grown cheerful again:
As to this bower, lady, the tale thereof is soon told;
for with mine own hands I builded it some fifteen
years ago; and I have come to this place time and
again when my heart was overmuch oppressed with black
burdens of evil and turmoil, and have whiles prevailed
against the evil, and whiles not. Mayst thou
prevail this time, then! said she. He answered
her not, but presently fell to talking with her of
other matters, and the two were frank and friendly
together, till the August night grew dark about them;
and then spake Birdalone: Now would I rest,
for I can no longer keep mine eyes open. Abide
aloof from me to-morrow morning till I call to thee,
as thou didst this evening; and then, before we eat
together again, thou shalt tell me what thou wilt
do with me. He stood up to depart, and she reached
out her hand to him in the glimmer, and he saw it,
but said: Nay, if I take thine hand, I shall
take thine whole body. And therewith he departed,
and she laid her down in her smock alone, and slept
anon, and was dreamless and forgetting everything
till the sun was up in the morning.
CHAPTER XVI. YET A DAY AND A NIGHT THEY TARRY IN THE DALE
Birdalone awoke when the sun came into the bower to
her, and stood up at once, and went down to the river
and washed the night off her; and then, when she was
clad, called on the knight to come to her; and he
came, looking downcast and troubled; so that Birdalone
thought within herself: It is well, he will
do my will.
She stood before him, and gave him the sele of the
day, and he looked on her sorrowfully. Then
she said: Now is come the time when I am to
ask thee to take me back to the Castle of the Quest
and my own people. He was not hasty to answer
her, and she spake again: This must thou do,
or else take me to the Red Hold and deliver me to the
tyrant there; and I have heard it from thine own mouth
that will be nought else than casting me into shame
and torment and death. And I deem thou canst
not do it. Nay, she said, staying the words that
were coming from his mouth, I wot that thou canst do
it if thine heart can suffer it; for thou art stronger
than I, and thou mayst break my bow, and wrest this
knife out of mine hand; and thou canst bind me and
make me fast to the saddle, and so lead my helpless
body into thraldom and death. But thou hast
said that thou lovest me, and I believe thee herein.
Therefore I know that thou canst not will to do this.
