the matter of the messengers who were to summon the knights and
chiefs of thereabouts, and the aldermen of Greenford, to meet at the
Castle of the Quest, that they might set afoot the hosting to go
against the Red Hold.



CHAPTER IX. HUGH TELLS THE STORY OF THE QUEST'S ENDING.



When this was said, and there had been silence a while, Birdalone
took up the word, and spake meekly and sweetly, saying: Dear
friends, how it fared with you on the isle from the time of my
leaving you, and how with you, true knights, from the time of your
departure, I both were fain to know for the tale's sake, and also I
would take the telling thereof as a sign of your forgiveness of my
transgression; so I would crave the same of you but if it weary you
overmuch.

All they yeasaid her kindly, and Hugh spake and said: By your leave,
fellows, I will tell in few words what betid us on our way to the
Isle of Increase Unsought, and then shall Viridis take up the tale
from the time that Birdalone left the said isle in the witch's ferry.
None said aught against it, and Hugh went on: Short is my tale of
the journey: We came to the Isle of Nothing on the morrow's morn of
our departure, and being warned of thee, Birdalone, we abode there
but a little while to rest us from the boat, and went nowhither from
the strand, and so went on our way in a three hours' space.