often I myself lay up in the woods and watched on her also.

'I went swiftly, and as I passed the great door it opened from within,
and there stood my Lady Ælueva, and she said to me: "Sir Richard, will
it please you enter your Great Hall?" Then she wept, but we were alone.'

The knight was silent for a long time, his face turned across the
valley, smiling.

'Oh, well done!' said Una, and clapped her hands very softly. 'She was
sorry, and she said so.'

'Aye, she was sorry, and she said so,' said Sir Richard, coming back
with a little start. 'Very soon--but _he_ said it was two full hours
later--De Aquila rode to the door, with his shield new scoured (Hugh had
cleansed it), and demanded entertainment, and called me a false knight,
that would starve his overlord to death. Then Hugh cried out that no man
should work in the valley that day, and our Saxons blew horns, and set
about feasting and drinking, and running of races, and dancing and
singing; and De Aquila climbed upon a horse-block and spoke to them in
what he swore was good Saxon, but no man understood it. At night we
feasted in the Great Hall, and when the harpers and the singers were
gone we four sat late at the high table. As I remember, it was a warm
night with a full moon, and De Aquila bade Hugh take down his sword from
the wall again, for the honour of the Manor of Dallington, and Hugh took
it gladly enough. Dust lay on the hilt, for I saw him blow it off.

'She and I sat talking a little apart, and at first we thought the
harpers had come back, for the Great Hall was filled with a rushing
noise of music. De Aquila leaped up; but there was only the moonlight