he wore a small bright-polished bascinet, while, at his
high-peaked saddle-bow his ponderous war-helm swung, together with
broad-bladed battle-axe. Now as he paced along in this right gallant
estate, his roving glance, by hap, lighted on Beltane, whereupon,
checking his powerful horse, he plucked daintily at the strings of his
lute, delicate-fingered, and brake into song anew:--

"Ah, woe is me
That I should be
A lonely wight!
That in mankind
No joy I find
By day or night,
Ah, woe is me!"

Thereafter he sighed amain and smote his bosom, and smiling upon
Beltane sad-eyed, spake:

"Most excellent, tall, and sweet young sir, I, who Love's lorn pilgrim
am, do give thee woeful greeting and entreat now the courtesy of thy
pity."

"And wherefore pity, sir?" quoth Beltane, sitting up.

"For reason of a lady's silver laughter. A notable reason this; for,
mark me, ye lovers, an thy lady flout thee one hour, grieve not--she
shall be kind the next; an she scorn thee to-day, despair nothing--she
shall love thee to-morrow; but, an she laugh and laugh--ah, then poor
lover, Venus pity thee! Then languish hope, and tender heart be rent,
for love and laughter can ne'er be kin. Wherefore a woeful wight am I,
foredone and all distraught for love. Behold here, the blazon on my
shield--lo! a riven heart proper (direfully aflame) upon a field vert.
The heart, methinks, is aptly wrought and popped, and the flame in
sooth flame-like! Here beneath, behold my motto, 'Ardeo' which
signifieth 'I burn.' Other device have I laid by for the nonce, what
time my pilgrimage shall be accompt."

But Beltane looked not so much upon the shield as on the face of him
that bore it, and beholding its high and fearless look, the clear,
bright eyes and humorous mouth (albeit schooled to melancholy) he
smiled, and got him to his feet.

"Now, well met, Sir Knight of the Burning Heart!" quoth he. "What would
ye here, alone, within these solitudes?"

"Sigh, messire. I sing and sigh, and sigh and sing."

"'Tis a something empty life, methinks."

"Not so, messire," sighed the rueful knight, "for when I chance to meet
a gentle youth, young and well beseen--as thou, bedight in goodly mail
--as thou, with knightly sword on thigh, why then, messire, 'tis ever my
wont to declare unto him that she I honour is fairer, nobler, and
altogether more worthy and virtuous than any other she soever, and to
maintain that same against him, on horse o