e Maid by the hand, and went to the window
and looked forth; and lo! the great square of the place all thronged with
folk as thick as they could stand, and the more part of the carles with a
weapon in hand, and many armed right gallantly. Then he went out into
the gallery with his Queen, still holding her hand, and his lords and
wise men stood behind him. Straightway then arose a cry, and a shout of
joy and welcome that rent the very heavens, and the great place was all
glittering and strange with the tossing up of spears and the brandishing
of swords, and the stretching forth of hands.

But the Maid spake softly to King Walter and said: "Here then is the
wilderness left behind a long way, and here is warding and protection
against the foes of our life and soul. O blessed be thou and thy valiant
heart!"

But Walter spake nothing, but stood as one in a dream; and yet, if that
might be, his longing toward her increased manifold.

But down below, amidst of the throng, stood two neighbours somewhat anigh
to the window; and quoth one to the other: "See thou! the new man in the
ancient armour of the Battle of the Waters, bearing the sword that slew
the foeman king on the Day of the Doubtful Onset! Surely this is a sign
of good-luck to us all."

"Yea," said the second, "he beareth his armour well, and the eyes are
bright in the head of him: but hast thou beheld well his she-fellow, and
what the like of her is?"

"I see her," said the other, "that she is a fair woman; yet somewhat
worse clad than simply. She is in her smock, man, and were it not for
the balusters I deem ye should see her barefoot. What is amiss with
her?"

"Dost thou not see her," said the second neighbour, "that she is not only
a fair woman, but yet more, one of those lovely ones that draw the heart
out of a man's body, one may scarce say for why? Surely Stark-wall hath
cast a lucky net this time. And as to her raiment, I see of her that she
is clad in white and wreathed with roses, but that the flesh of her is so
wholly pure and sweet that it maketh all her attire but a part of her
body, and halloweth it, so that it hath the semblance of gems. Alas, my
friend! let us hope that this Queen will fare abroad unseldom amongst the
people."

Thus, then, they spake; but after a while the King and his mate went back
into the chamber, and he gave command that the women of the Queen should
come and fetch her away, to attire her in royal array. And thit