eart, and astir; for it did be
wondrous to me that this lovely Maid did be so utter mine. And to see
but the way that she set her feet to the earth, and the way that she did
lift them sure and dainty; and the way that her body did be poised, and
the way of her head; and the way of her naughtiness and the sweetness
and the love that did be wrapt in with all, did make me want that I have
her in mine arms.

But yet, I not to do this, because that in the same time that she did so
stir me to love and admirings, she to set somewhat else in me at
variance, so that I did half to feel stern with her, for I perceived
that she had that naughtiness then within her, that she did be like to
have a real intent of impertinence unto me, so that she should be
naughtily outrageous, and to have no heed to my advisings, neither unto
my desires, unless that I set my hand upon her, to _make_ her to obey.

And truly, you that have had dear maids, shall follow mine explainings;
but unto others, I know not whether they shall understand, until they
too have been possessed of One that shall set all their heart adrift,
even as this One that did be Mine Own.

And sudden, I to know that Naani did change from her low singing unto an
olden air that had surely not been heard in all that eternity. And in
verity, for a little while, I not to know why that it did so shake all
my heart; nor what it did be; nor whether that I had truly heard it
before, or only to think so.

And, surely, it did be as that the silence of the olden moonlit world
did steal all about me; and sudden, I to know that the Maid did sing an
olden love-song of the olden world, and to go halting a little as she
sang, because that the words did steal something odd-wise through the
far veils of her memory, even as a song doth come backward out of
dreams.

And I to feel all my blood to seem to tremble in my veins, and my throat
to be troubled, as with vague sobs that did be the ghosts of forgotten
tears. And the dim sorrow that had come so swift and strange upon me, to
be likewise steeped in golden mists of the love that I once did love;
and the glamour to be come all fresh upon me, and I to know in that
moment how much we do forget, even when that we do believe that we have
all memory and all sorrow within our hearts.

And I lookt unto the Maid, something dimly, because of the way that I
did be; and I perceived in a moment that Mine Own did weep as she
walked; but the less with pain