remember how we stood together erst at the stair-foot of the Wailing
Tower in the Isle of Increase Unsought, and thou naked and fearful
and quaking, and what I did to thee that tide to comfort thee and
help and save thee. And then when thou hast called it to mind, do
thou for me what thou canst do. Wilt thou promise this? Yea, yea,
said Birdalone; and with all the better will, that oft and over again
have I called it to mind. Wherefore I behight thee to let me serve
thee if I may whenso the occasion cometh, even if it be to my own
pain and grief; for this I know thou meanest.

See thou to this then, said Atra coldly; and thou shalt be the better
for it in the long run belike: for thou art a happy woman.

She arose as she spake, and said: Hist! here come the lords from the
murder-council; and lo, now that he cometh, my heart groweth evil
toward thee again, and well-nigh biddeth me wish that thou wert naked
and helpless before me again. Lo my unhap! that he should mark my
face that it shows as if I were fain to do thee a mischief. And
nought of that would I do; for how should it avail me, and thou my
fellow and the faithful messenger of the Quest?

Now little of her last words did Birdalone meet, as into the hall
came Hugh and Arthur; and though she strove to sober her mind and
think of her she-friend and her unhappiness, yet she could not choose
but to be full of joy in her inmost heart now she knew without doubt
that she was so well-beloved of her beloved: and she deemed that
Atra was in the right indeed to call her a happy woman.

So now they all went into the solar together, and sat them down with
the two others; and Hugh did them to wit, how they had ordered all