nd of it
they fell asleep.

When they awoke it was to see the light streaming through the
high, latticed windows.

"Did you sleep well, Godwin?" asked Wulf.

"Well enough," answered his brother, "only I dreamed that
throughout the night people came and looked at me."

"I dreamed that also," said Wulf; "moreover, I think that it was
not all a dream, since there is a coverlet on my bed which was
not there when I went to sleep."

Godwin looked at his own, where also was another coverlet added,
doubtless as the night grew colder in that high place.

"I have heard of enchanted castles," he said; "now I think that
we have found one."

"Ay," replied Wulf, "and it is well enough while it lasts."

They rose and dressed themselves, putting on clean garments and
their best cloaks, that they had brought with them on the mules,
after which the veiled women entered the room with breakfast, and
they ate. When this was finished, having nothing else to do, they
made signs to one of the women that they wished for cloths
wherewith to clean their armour, for, as they had been bidden,
they pretended to understand no word of Arabic. She nodded, and
presently returned with a companion carrying leathers and paste
in a jar. Nor did they leave them, but, sitting upon the ground,
whether the brethren willed it or no, took the shirts of mail and
rubbed them till they shone like silver, while Godwin and Wulf
polished their helms, spurs, and bucklers, cleansing their swords
and daggers also, and sharpening them with a stone which they
carried for that purpose.

Now as these women worked, they began to talk to each other in a
low voice, and some of their talk, though not all, the brethren
understood.

"A handsome pair truly," said the first. "We should be fortunate
if we had such men for husbands, although they are Franks and
infidels."

"Ay," answered the other; "and from their likeness they must be
twins. Now which of them would you choose?"

Then for a long while they discussed them, comparing them feature
by feature and limb by limb, until the brethren felt their faces
grow red beneath the sunburn and scrubbed furiously at their
armour to show a reason for it. At length one of the women said:

"It was cruel of the lady Masouda to bring these birds into the
Master's net. She might have warned them."

"Masouda was ever cruel," answered the other, "who hates all men,
which is unnatural. Yet I think if she loved a man she would l