om the peg on
which it hung, and as he did so, a great sigh arose from within the
hall, as if at one time many sleepers awoke. And looking round, he saw
how all the men that had seemed dead were now on their knees, with bent
heads and folded hands as if in prayer.

The king in the high seat stirred and sat upright, and looked at
Perceval with a most sweet smile.

'The blessing of God is upon thee, young White Knight,' said he, 'and
now is my watch and ward all ended, and with these my faithful
companions may I go.'

'Tell me, sir,' said Perceval, 'what means this?'

'I am Marius,' said the king, 'and I was that Roman soldier who took
pity of the gentle Saviour dying in His agony upon the rood. And I
helped to take Him from the cross. For my pity did God, whom till then
I had not known, deal with me in marvellous wise. And this shield was
mine, and a holy hermit in a desert of Syria did bless it, and prophesy
concerning it and me. I came to this land of Britain when it was full
of evil men, warring fiercely together, and all in heathen darkness. I
preached the Word of Christ, I and my fellows that came with me, until
the heathens rose up and would slay me. And by that time I was wearied
and very old, and wished to die. Yet I sorrowed, wondering whether God
would do naught to rescue these people from this slavery to the old
evil law. Then a man of God came to me at night, a man of marvel, and
he caused this castle to be builded in this ancient wood, and he put my
shield upon the post, and bade me and my dear friends sleep. 'For,'
said he, 'thou hast earned thy sleep, and others shall carry on thy
work and reveal the mercy of God and his Christ to these poor heathens,
and they shall turn to God wholly. And no evil shall be able to break
in upon thy repose. But when, in the distant future, men's hearts are
turning to evil again, one that is of the three white knights shall
come and take this shield, to ward him in the great battle against
evil, and then thou and all that are with thee shall have the
restfulness of death thou hast merited. Go then, thou good knight,'
went on King Marius, 'fight the good fight against that thing of evil
whom the good man spoke of, and may my shield encompass thee and ever
guard thee.'

Perceval took the shield and left his own. Turning, he rode back
between lines of silent forms bent in prayer. He went forth into the
forest some little way, and heard from the castle the singing of a
jo