lately,
in the evening twilight, Hildegardis in proud repose had gazed on her
approaching suitors.

Two of them, well known to us, remained inseparably together, but they
knew as little as the others whether they had taken the right direction,
for how and when the adored lady could have disappeared from her
apartments was still to the whole castle a fearful and mysterious
secret.

Edwald and Froda rode as long as the sun moved over their heads,
unwearied as he; and now, when he sank in the waves of the river, they
thought to win the race from him, and still spurred on their jaded
steeds. But the noble animals staggered and panted, and the knights were
constrained to grant them some little refreshment in a grassy meadow.
Secure of bringing them back at their first call, their masters removed
both bit and curb, that they might be refreshed with the green pasture,
and with the deep blue waters of the Maine, while they themselves
reposed under the shade of a neighbouring thicket of alders. And deep
in the cool, dark shade, there shone, as it were, a mild but clear
sparkling light, and checked the speech of Froda, who at that moment
was beginning to tell his friend the tale of his knightly service to
his sovereign lady, which had been delayed hitherto, first by Edwald's
sadness, and then by the haste of their journey. Ah, well did Froda know
that lovely golden light! "Let us follow it, Edchen," said he in a low
tone, "and leave the horses a while to their pasture." Edwald in silence
followed his companion's advice. A secret voice, half sweet, half
fearful, seemed to tell him that here was the path, the only right path
to Hildegardis. Once only he said in astonishment, "Never before have I
seen the evening glow shine on the leaves so brightly." Froda shook his
head with a smile, and they pursued in silence their unknown track.

When they came forth on the other side of the alder-thicket upon the
bank of the Maine, which almost wound round it, Edwald saw well that
another glow than that of evening was shining on them, for dark clouds
of night already covered the heavens, and the guiding light stood fixed
on the shore of the river. It lit up the waves, so that they could see
a high woody island in the midst of the stream, and a boat on the hither
side of the shore fast bound to a stake. But on approaching, the knights
saw much more; a troop of horsemen of strange and foreign appearance
were all asleep, and in the midst of t