a, yea, why should I
not be so? How might I be otherwise?"

"Yea then," said the King's Son, "why didst thou say that thou wert glad
someone is happy? Who is unhappy, deemest thou?" and he looked on him
keenly.

Walter answered slowly: "Said I so? I suppose then that I was thinking
of thee; for when first I saw thee, yea, and afterwards, thou didst seem
heavy-hearted and ill-content."

The face of the King's Son cleared at this word, and he said: "Yea, so it
was; for look you, both ways it was: I was unfree, and I had sown the
true desire of my heart whereas it waxed not. But now I am on the brink
and verge of freedom, and presently shall my desire be blossomed. Nay
now, Squire, I deem thee a good fellow, though it may be somewhat of a
fool; so I will no more speak riddles to thee. Thus it is: the Maid hath
promised me all mine asking, and is mine; and in two or three days, by
her helping also, I shall see the world again."

Quoth Walter, smiling askance on him: "And the Lady? what shall she say
to this matter?"

The King's Son reddened, but smiled falsely enough, and said: "Sir
Squire, thou knowest enough not to need to ask this. Why should I tell
thee that she accounteth more of thy little finger than of my whole body?
Now I tell thee hereof freely; first, because this my fruition of love,
and my freeing from thralldom, is, in a way, of thy doing. For thou art
become my supplanter, and hast taken thy place with yonder lovely tyrant.
Fear not for me! she will let me go. As for thyself, see thou to it! But
again I tell thee hereof because my heart is light and full of joy, and
telling thee will pleasure me, and cannot do me any harm. For if thou
say: How if I carry the tale to my Lady? I answer, thou wilt not. For I
know that thine heart hath been somewhat set on the jewel that my hand
holdeth; and thou knowest well on whose head the Lady's wrath would fall,
and that would be neither thine nor mine."

"Thou sayest sooth," said Walter; "neither is treason my wont."

So they walked on silently a while, and then Walter said: "But how if the
Maiden had nay-said thee; what hadst thou done then?"

"By the heavens!" said the King's Son fiercely, "she should have paid for
her nay-say; then would I--" But he broke off, and said quietly, yet
somewhat doggedly: "Why talk of what might have been? She gave me her
yea-say pleasantly and sweetly."

Now Walter knew that the man lied, so he held his peace thereo