u wottest where and how we shall meet next; and meanwhile disport thee
as thou wilt, so that thou weary not thyself, for I love to see thee
joyous."

Then she arose stately and grand; but she kissed Walter on the mouth ere
she turned to go out of the hall. The Maid followed her; but or ever she
was quite gone, she stooped and made that sign, and looked over her
shoulder at Walter, as if in entreaty to him, and there was fear and
anguish in her face; but he nodded his head to her in yea-say of the
tryst in the hazel-copse, and in a trice she was gone.

Walter went down the hall, and forth into the early night; but in the
jaws of the porch he came up against the King's Son, who, gazing at his
attire glittering with all its gems in the moonlight, laughed out, and
said: "Now may it be seen how thou art risen in degree above me, whereas
I am but a king's son, and that a king of a far country; whereas thou art
a king of kings, or shalt be this night, yea, and of this very country
wherein we both are."

Now Walter saw the mock which lay under his words; but he kept back his
wrath, and answered: "Fair sir, art thou as well contented with thy lot
as when the sun went down? Hast thou no doubt or fear? Will the Maid
verily keep tryst with thee, or hath she given thee yea-say but to escape
thee this time? Or, again, may she not turn to the Lady and appeal to
her against thee?"

Now when he had spoken these words, he repented thereof, and feared for
himself and the Maid, lest he had stirred some misgiving in that young
man's foolish heart. But the King's Son did but laugh, and answered
nought but to Walter's last words, and said: "Yea, yea! this word of
thine showeth how little thou wottest of that which lieth betwixt my
darling and thine. Doth the lamb appeal from the shepherd to the wolf?
Even so shall the Maid appeal from me to thy Lady. What! ask thy Lady at
thy leisure what her wont hath been with her thrall; she shall think it a
fair tale to tell thee thereof. But thereof is my Maid all whole now by
reason of her wisdom in leechcraft, or somewhat more. And now I tell
thee again, that the beforesaid Maid must needs do my will; for if I be
the deep sea, and I deem not so ill of myself, that other one is the
devil; as belike thou shalt find out for thyself later on. Yea, all is
well with me, and more than well."

And therewith he swung merrily into the litten hall. But Walter went out
into the moonlit night, and w