The sun was high now, and his beams were cast back
from the ripple of the lake, and shone wavering on
the wall of the chamber, the window whereof gave on
to the water. Then came a hand on the latch of
the door, and she started, and her heart grieved her;
but it was one of the women who opened, and came in,
and Birdalone rose up sitting in her bed, and said
faintly, for she could scarce speak: Is any tiding
toward, Catherine? The maid said: Yes,
my lady; for early after sunrise came weaponed men
to the gate, and would sell us beeves; and my lord,
Sir Aymeris, must needs go forth and chaffer with them,
though belike they had been lifting what was neither
ours, nor theirs, nor the neighbours’.
Maybe Sir Aymeris looked to buy tidings from them
as well as beef. Anyhow they departed when they
had gotten their money and drunk a cup. And
now it is said that the Red Knight hath been hurt
in some fray, and keepeth his bed; wherefore the land
shall have peace of him awhile. Said Birdalone:
I thank thee, good Catherine; I shall lie a little
longer; depart now.
The woman went her ways; and when she was gone, Birdalone
wept and sobbed, and writhed upon her bed, and found
no solace to her grief. But she arose and paced
the chamber, and sithence looked out of the window
over the empty water, and wept again. Then she
said: Yet they may come ere noon, or it may
be ere evening, or perchance to-morrow morning.
And she stayed her weeping, and was calmer.
But still she walked the floor, and whiles looked
out of window, and whiles she looked on her limbs,
and felt the sleekness of her sides, and she said:
O my body! how thou longest!
But at last she clad herself in haste, and went stealthily
from the chamber, as if she feared to meet anyone;
and she stole up to the tower-top that was nighest,
and looked through the door on to the leads, and saw
no one there; so she went out, and stood by the battlement,
and gazed long over the water, but saw neither boat
nor burning mountain coming towards her.
CHAPTER III. NOW WOULD BIRDALONE RIDE ABROAD
After a while she came down again, and went to the
women, and sat working with them a while, and so wore
away two hours. Then she sent for the priest
and had her lesson of him; and when she had been at
it another two hours, she bade him begin and learn
her writing; and nought loth he was thereto; forsooth
he had been longing to pray her to suffer him learn
her, but durst not. For in such teaching needs
must he sit full nigh to her, and watch her hands,
and her fingers striving to shape the letters; nay,
whiles must he touch her hand with his, and hold it.
Wherefore now he promised himself a taste of Paradise.
Withal he was full meet to learn her, whereas he was
one of the best of scribes, and a fair-writer full
handy.
So they fell to the lesson, and she became eager thereover,
and learned fast, and clave to the work, while his
soul was tormented with longing for her. And
thus wore a three hours, and then suddenly she looked
up wearily from her work, and her trouble was awake,
and the longing for her speech-friend, and she gave
the priest leave for that day, but suffered him to
kiss her hand for wages.
