, and the sound of their voices came to
him on the little airs that were breathing. He thought he would talk
to some of these folk ere the world was much older, and also he noted
between the river and the wood many cots of the husbandmen trimly
builded and thatched, and amidst them a little church, white and
delicate of fashion; but as now his face was set toward the river
because of the hot day. He came to a pool a little below where a
wooden foot-bridge crossed the water, and about the pool were willows
growing, which had not been shrouded these eight years, and the water
was clear as glass with a bottom of fine sand. There then he bathed
him, and as he sported in the water he bethought him of the long smooth
reaches of Upmeads Water, and the swimming low down amidst the long
swinging weeds between the chuckle of the reed sparrows, when the sun
was new risen in the July morning. When he stood on the grass again,
what with the bright weather and fair little land, what with the
freshness of the water, and his good rest, and the hope of adventure to
come, he felt as if he had never been merrier in his life-days. Withal
it was a weight off his heart that he had escaped from the turmoil of
the wars of the Burg of the Four Friths, and the men of the Dry Tree,
and the Wheat-wearers, with the thralldom and stripes and fire-raising,
and the hard life of strife and gain of the walled town and strong
place.

When he came back to the castle gate there was the carline in the
wicket peering out to right and left, seeking him to bring him in to
dinner. And when she saw him so joyous, with his lips smiling and his
eyes dancing for mirth, she also became joyous, and said: "Verily, it
is a pity of thee that there is never a fair damsel or so to look on
thee and love thee here to-day. Far would many a maiden run to kiss thy
mouth, fair lad. But now come to thy meat, that thou mayest grow the
fairer and last the longer."

He laughed gaily and went into the hall with her, and now was it well
dight with bankers and dorsars of goodly figured cloth, and on the
walls a goodly halling of arras of the Story of Alexander. So he sat
to table, and the meat and drink was of the best, and the carline
served him, praising him ever with fulsome words as he ate, till he
wished her away.

After dinner he rested awhile, and called to the carline and bade her
bring him his sword and his basnet. "Wherefore?" said she. "Whither
wilt thou?"