indeed, this was foolishness; for I had surely heard of the marriage, if
there had been any. And, truly, in a moment, I remembered that she was
come one-and-twenty years of age on that day, and to the end of her
ward-ship; and this surely to be festival in honour of the same.

And a very bright and pretty matter it was to watch, save that I was so
heavy in the heart with loneliness and longing; for the company was
great and gay, and the lights plentiful and set all about from the
trees; and in leaf-made arbours about the great lawn. And a great table
spread with eating matters and silver and crystal, and great lamps of
bronze and silver went all a-down one end of the lawn; and the dance
constant upon the other part.

And surely, the Lady Mirdath to step out of the dance, very lovely
drest; yet seeming, to mine eyes, a little pale in the looming of the
lights. And she to wander to a seat to rest; and, indeed, in a moment,
there to be a dozen youths of the great families of the country-side, in
attendance about her, making talk and laughter, and each eager for her
favour; and she very lovely in the midst of them, but yet, as I did
think, lacking of somewhat, and a little pale-seeming, as I have told;
and her glance to go odd-wise beyond the groupt men about her; so that I
understood in a moment that her lover was not there, and she to be
a-lack in the heart for him. Yet, why he was not there, I could not
suppose, save that he might have been called back to the Court.

And, surely, as I watched the other young men about her, I burned with a
fierce and miserable jealousy of them; so that I could near have stept
forth and plucked her out from among them, and had her to walk with me
in the woods, as in the olden days, when she also had seemed near to
love. But, truly, what use to this? For it was not they who held her