Wherefore, on a day when three whole weeks were gone
since the day of departure, she was glad when the
castellan came to her and said: Lady, these two
days I have had men out to spy the land, and their
word goes that nought is stirring which a score of
us well-armed might have cause to fear; wherefore
to-morrow, if it be thy will, we shall bring thee
out-a-gates, and so please thee, shall be in no haste
to come back, but may lie out in the wildwood one night,
and come back at our leisure on the morrow of to-morrow.
How sayest thou of thy pleasure herein?
She thanked him, and yeasaid it eagerly, and next
morning they set forth; and Birdalone had with her
three of the women, and they had sumpter-beasts with
them, and tents for Birdalone and her maids.
So they rode by pleasant ways and fair meadows, and
the weather was good, for it was now the first days
of July, and all was as lovely as might be; and for
that while Birdalone cast off all her cares, and was
merry, and of many words and sweet; and all the folk
rejoiced thereat, for all loved her in the Castle
of the Quest, besides those one or two that loved
her overmuch.
Rode they thus a twelve miles or more, and then they
came, as their purpose was, to the beginning of a
woodland plenteous of venison, and they hunted here,
and Birdalone took her part therein, and all praised
her woodcraft; albeit because of her went a head or
two free that had fallen else, whereas of the carle
hunters were some who deemed the body of her better
worth looking on than the quarry.
Howsoever, they slew of hind and roe and other wood-cattle
what they would, some deal for their supper in the
wilderness, some to bear home to the castle.
But when night was nigh at hand they made stay in
a fair wood-lawn about which ran a clear stream, whereby
they pitched the ladies’ tent; and Birdalone
and hers went down into the water and washed the weariness
off them; and her ladies wondered at the deftness
of Birdalone’s swimming; for they bathed in a
pool somewhat great into which the stream widened,
so that there was space enough for her therein.
By then they were washen and clad goodly in raiment
which they had brought on the sumpters, the men had
lighted fires and were cooking the venison, and anon
there was supper and banquet in the wildwood, with
drinking of wine and pleasant talk and the telling
of tales and singing of minstrelsy; and so at last,
when night was well worn, and out in the open meadows
the eastern sky was waxing grey, then Birdalone and
her ladies went to bed in their fair tents, and the
men-at-arms lay down on the greensward under the bare
heaven.
