Now you must not think that I was not utter stirred by the wonder of
this thing, that we had both a dreamful knowledge of the same matters,
of which each had thought none other knew. Yet, when I questioned more,
there was much that had been in my fancies that was foreign to her, and
likewise much that had been familiar to her, that was of no meaning to
me. But though there was this, that brought a little regret to us, there
would be, time and again, some new thing that one told, that the other
knew and could finish the telling of, to the gladness and amazement of
both. And so shall you picture us wandering and having constant speech, so
that, hour by hour, we grew gladly aged in dear knowledge and sweet
friendship of the other.
And truly, how the time passed, I know not; but there came presently a
hullabaloo, and the shouts of men's voices and the baying of dogs, and
the gleam of lanthorns, so that I knew not what to think; until, very
sudden, and with a sweet and strange little laughter, the Lady Mirdath
to perceive that we had missed the hours utter in our converse; so that
her Guardian (made uneasy because of the three foot-pads) had ordered a
search. And we all that time a-wander together in happy forgetfulness.
And we turned homeward, then, and came towards the lights; but indeed,
the dogs found us before we were come there; and they had grown to know
me now, and leaped about me, barking very friendly; and so in a minute
the men had discovered us, and were gone back to tell Sir Jarles that
all was well. And this was the way of our meeting and the growing of our acquaintance,
and the beginning of my great love for Mirdath the Beautiful.
Now, from that time onward, evening by evening would I go a-wander along
the quiet and country road that led from my estate to the estate of Sir
Jarles. And always I went inward by the hedge-gap; and oft I should find
the Lady Mirdath walking in that part of the woods; but always with her
great boar-hounds about her; for I had begged that she do this thing for
her sweet safety; and she to seem wishful to pleasure me; but truly to
be just so oft utter perverse in diverse matters; and to strive to
plague me, as though she would discover how much I would endure and how
far she might go to anger me.
And, truly, well I remember how that one night, coming to the hedge-gap,
I saw two country-maids come thence out from the woods of Sir Jarles';
but they were naught to me, and I would have gone upward through the
gap, as ever; only that, as they passed me, they curtseyed somewhat
over-graceful for rough wenches. And I had a sudden thought, and came up
to them to see them more anigh; and truly I thought the taller was
surely the Lady Mirdath. But, indeed, I could not be sure; for when I
asked who she did be, she only to simper and to curtsey again; and so
was I very natural all in doubt; but yet sufficient in wonder (having
some knowledge of the Lady Mirdath) to follow the wenches, the which I
did. And they then, very speedy and sedate, as though I were some rack-rape
that they did well to be feared of alone at night; and so came at last
to the village green, where a great dance was a-foot, with torches, and
a wandering fiddler to set the tune; and ale in plenty.