st had shown.

And the men-servants asked what should be done with the foot-pads;
seeing that they were now recovering. But, indeed, I left the matter,
along with some silver, to the servants; and very sound justice they
dealt out to the men; for I heard their cries a good while after we had
gone away.

Now, when we were come up to the Hall, my cousin must take me in to her
Guardian, Sir Alfred Jarles, an old man and venerable that I knew a
little in passing and because our estates abounded. And she praised me
to my face, yet quaintly-wise; and the old man, her Guardian thanked me
most honourably and with a nice courtesy; so that I was a welcome
house-friend from that time onward.

And I stayed all that evening, and dined, and afterward went out again
into the home-grounds with the Lady Mirdath; and she more friendly to me
than ever any woman had been; and seemed to me as that she had known me
always. And, truly, I had the same feeling in my heart towards her; for
it was, somehow, as though we knew each the way and turn of the other,
and had a constant delight to find this thing and that thing to be in
common; but no surprise; save that so pleasant a truth had so natural a
discovery.

And one thing there was that I perceived held the Lady Mirdath all that
dear fore-night; and this was, indeed, the way that I had my pleasure so
easy with the three foot-pads. And she asked me plainly whether I was
not truly very strong; and when I laughed with young and natural pride,
she caught my arm suddenly to discover for herself how strong I might
be. And, surely, she loosed it even the more sudden, and with a little
gasping of astonishment, because it was so great and hard. And
afterward, she walked by me very silent, and seeming thoughtful; but she
went never any great way off from me.

And, truly, if the Lady Mirdath had a strange pleasure in my strength, I
had likewise a constant wonder and marvel in her beauty, that had shown
but the more lovely in the candle-light at dinner.

But there were further delights to me in the days that came; for I had
happiness in the way that she had pleasure of the Mystery of the
Evening, and the Glamour of Night, and the Joy of Dawn, and all
suchlike.

And one evening, that I ever remember, as we wandered in the park-lands,
she began to say--half unthinking--that it was truly an elves-night. And
she stopped herself immediately; as though she thought I should have no
understanding; but, i