name, spoken surely with the tongue;
and a name that was different from the name that my spirit had said
after the beat of the Word. And immediately, I had come out of the bush,
and she had fallen back in a sudden great fear that a monster was stolen
upon her; and then did see a young man in grey armour, and did know in
one instant that I was that olden one of her memory dreams, and the one
that had spoken unto her in the spirit across half of the dead world, as
it did seem. And now was I come through all that unknown desolation and
affright, to succour her. And she was immediately safe; but yet all
broken because of her weakness and her utter joy and her sweet honour
for me.

And this is the chief of that which she did tell unto me; and the way
that she had seen and did regard the marvel of this our coming together.
But, surely, no man was made ever to be worthy of the way that she did
look upon me, or of the words that she did say unto me in her weakness
and happiness. Now, with the Maid having speech concerning the
spider-crabs, I lookt presently well around, and surely, in a minute, I
saw that they were not gone away; but did be a circle of silent and
steadfast watching and impudence and horror all about us. And surely
this thing put an anger and disgust upon me; so that I gat to my feet,
and went unto the border of the light, and I spurned this little monster
and that, and did truly kick maybe a dozen, before that they were
content to be gone. And by this thing shall you know of their calm and
foolish assurance; but yet were they seemingly without courage; for they
made not to attack me. Yet a true crab of this day been wishful to pinch
me, had I put my toe forth unto it.

Now, I went back to the Maid, and she did laugh with a little, weak
gleefulness; so that I perceived that she was like to be a very joyous
maiden, if but I did have her in health. And I made her another cup of
the broth, and she drank it very easy. And afterward, I made a very
stern and playful order that she must sleep, and, indeed, she to need it
sore, for she was gone again from her excitement, and her weakness upon
her; yet very happy and content and without fear.

And I made a smooth place for her, and put the pouch and the scrip to be
for a pillow, and I did lay her there very quiet and sweet in the cloak,
and covered her feet; but, indeed, I saw first that they did be sore cut
and without any gear to them; so that I perceived that Mine