Even therewith came clearly the sound of the horn
from the water, and again and yet again; and no man
spake but the chaplain, who cried out: Hearken,
knight, it is of Birdalone. But Sir Aymeris laid
his hand on his shoulder and said in an angry whisper:
Thou shalt be put downstairs, priest, if thou hold
not thy peace.
Leonard drew aback scowling, and went out of the door,
and so slowly down the stair, and withdrew him into
the cover of the door of the first chamber down from
the tower-top, with the mind to waylay Sir Aymeris
as he came down; and meanwhile he cursed him for a
fool and a dull-wit, and himself yet more, as was
but right, for a fool and a licorous traitor.
But he had not tarried there more than a score of
minutes, ere he heard a great shout from those up
above: They are come! they are come! And
next thereafter came all the men clattering down the
stair past him, scarce refraining them from shoving
each his neighbour on to the next one; Leonard followed
on them, and presently arose great shouting and tumult
through all the house, and all folk, men and women,
hurried flock-meal toward the water-gate, and with
them went Leonard perforce; and sick of heart he was,
calling to mind the first coming thither of Birdalone.
But now when they came to the water-gate, there verily
was the Sending Boat just coming to hand; and in the
stern stood the three knights together, all clad in
their armour, and before them sat three lovely ladies,
clad one in gold, one in green, and one in black:
and lo, there was the Quest come home.
Now the prow touched the stones of the stair, and
folk were busy to lay hold of it that the wayfarers
might land, but Sir Baudoin cried out in a great voice:
Let none be so hardy as to touch this ferry, either
now or hereafter; for there is peril therein.
And therewith he took Aurea by the hand, and led
her out of the boat and up the stair, and she all
joyous and wondering; and thereafter came Hugh and
his darling, and last of all Arthur and Atra, and she
alone of the three women looked downcast, and her
eyes wandered about the throng that was before them
there, as though she sought something, yet feared
to see it.
But when they were all standing together on the landing-plain,
and the folk were all about them in a ring, Sir Baudoin
spake to the castellan and said: Sir Aymeris,
thee and other folk I see here, the sight of whom
doth me great joy; but where, I pray thee, is the lady,
our friend Birdalone, by whom it is that all we are
come happily hither? And he looked around with
an anxious face; but Arthur was as pale as ashes,
yet he spake nought, and Atra let her hand fall away
from his.
Then spake the castellan, and said: No harm
hath befallen the Lady Birdalone; but whiles she hath
been somewhat ailing of late, and it is like that
she wotteth not what is toward, and keepeth her chamber
now, for it is yet betimes in the morning.
