d spake thereafter, slow and
soft:

"Now shall I live henceforth in thee, my son, glorying in thy deeds
hereafter. And if thou must needs--bleed, then shall my heart bleed
with thee, or if thou meet with death, my Beltane, then shall this
heart of mine die with thee."

Thus speaking, the hermit drew the sword from Beltane's girdle and
held the great blade towards heaven.

"Behold, my son," said he, "the motto of our house, 'I will arise!' So
now shalt thou arise indeed that thy destiny may be fulfilled. Take
hold upon thy manhood, my well-beloved, get thee to woeful Pentavalon
and, beholding its sorrows, seek how they may be assuaged. Now my
Beltane, all is said--when wilt thou leave thy father?"

Quoth Beltane, gathering his cloak about him:

"An so it be thy wish, my father, then will I go this hour."

Then Ambrose brought Beltane into his humble dwelling where was a
coffer wrought by his own skilful fingers; and from this coffer he drew
forth a suit of triple mail, wondrously fashioned, beholding the
which, Beltane's eyes glistened because of the excellence of its
craftsmanship.

"Behold!" quoth the hermit, "'tis an armour worthy of a king, light is
it, yet marvellous strong, and hath been well tried in many a desperate
affray. 'Tis twenty years since these limbs bore it, yet see--I have
kept it bright from rust lest, peradventure, Pentavalon should need
thee to raise again the battle cry of thy house and lead her men to
war. And, alas dear son, that day is now! Pentavalon calls to thee from
out the gloom of dungeon, from the anguish of flame, and rack, and
gibbet--from blood-soaked hearth and shameful grave she calls thee--
so, my Beltane, come and let me arm thee."

And there, within his little hut, the hermit Ambrose, Duke of
Pentavalon that was, girt the armour upon Beltane the mighty, Duke of
Pentavalon to be, if so God willed; first the gambeson of stuffed and
quilted leather, and, thereafter, coifed hauberk and chausses, with
wide sword-belt clamped with broad plates of silver and studs of gold,
until my Beltane stood up armed in shining mail from head to foot. Then
brought Ambrose a wallet, wherein were six gold pieces, and put it in
his hand, saying:

"These have I kept against this day, my Beltane. Take them to aid thee
on thy journey, for the county of Bourne lieth far to the south."

"Do I then journey to Bourne, my father?"

"Aye, to Sir Benedict, who yet doth hold the great keep of
Thrasf