loving with me, both man and woman, though needs must they
dwell aloof from kings' courts and barons' halls."

She looked at him wondering, and as if she did not
altogether understand him; and she said: "Where dost thou
dwell?"

He said: "To-day I dwell hard by; though where I shall
dwell to-morrow, who knows? And with me are dwelling three
of my kind fellows; and the dearest is a young man of mine
own age, who is my fellow in all matters, for us to live and
die each for the other. Couldst thou have seen him, thou
wouldst love him I deem."

"What name hath he?" said Goldilind.

"He hight David," said Christopher.

But therewith he fell silent and knit his brow, as though he
were thinking of some knotty point: but in a while his face
cleared, and he said: "If I durst, I would ask thee thy
name, and what thou art?"

"As to my name," said she, "I will not tell it thee as now.
As to what I am, I am a poor prisoner; and much have I been
grieved and tormented, so that my body hath been but a thing
whereby I might suffer anguish. Something else am I, but I
may not tell thee what as yet."

He looked on her long, and then arose and went his way along