was　Flumen；　for　he　dwelt　in　the　caves　of　the　stream；　and　was
  the　master　of　it　before　the　Mill　was　built。
  〃And　now；〃　wept　the　Maid；　〃he　must　have　had　his　will　with
  me　and　with　the　Mill；　but　for　God's　mercy；　thanked　be　our　Lord
  Jesus！〃
  〃Thank　me　too；〃　said　Mlartimor。
  〃So　I　do；〃　said　Lirette；　and　she　kissed　him。　　〃Yet　am　I
  heavy　at　heart　and　fearful；　for　my　father　is　sorely　mishandled
  and　his　arm　is　broken；　so　that　he　cannot　tend　the　Mill　nor
  guard　it。　　And　Flumen　is　escaped；　surely　he　will　harm　us
  again。　　Now　I　know　not；　where　I　shall　look　for　help。〃
  〃Why　not　here？〃　said　Martimor。
  Then　Lirette　looked　him　in　the　face；　smiling　a　little
  sorrily。　　〃But　thou　ridest　in　a　quest；〃　quoth　she；　〃thou　mayst
  not　stay　from　thy　adventures〃
  〃A　month；〃　said　he。
  〃Till　my　father　be　well？〃　said　she。
  〃A　month；〃　said　he。
  〃Till　thou　hast　put　Flumen　to　the　worse？〃　said　she。
  〃Right　willingly　would　I　have　to　do　with　that　base；
  slippery　knave　again〃　said　he；　〃but　more　than　a　month　I　may
  not　stay；　for　my　quest　calls　me　and　I　must　win　worship　of　men
  or　ever　I　become　a　knight。〃
  So　they　bound　up　the　miller's　wounds　and　set　the　Mill　in
  order。　　But　Martimor　had　much　to　do　to　learn　the　working　of
  the　Mill；　and　they　were　busied　with　the　grinding　of　wheat　and
  rye　and　barley　and　divers　kinds　of　grain；　and　the　millers
  hurts　were　mended　every　day；　and　at　night　there　was　merry　rest
  and　good　cheer；　and　Martimor　talked　with　the　Maid　of　the　great
  adventure　that　he　must　find；　and　thus　the　delay　endured　in
  pleasant　wise。
  THE　　MILL
  V
  Yet　More　of　the　Mill；　and　of　the　Same　Delay；　also　of　the　Maid
  Now　at　the　end　of　the　third　month；　which　was　November；
  Martimor　made　Lirette　to　understand　that　it　was　high　time　he
  should　ride　farther　to　follow　his　quest。　　For　the　miller　was
  now　recovered；　and　it　was　long　that　they　had　heard　and　seen
  naught　of　Flumen；　and　doubtless　that　black　knave　was　well
  routed　and　dismayed　that　he　would　not　come　again。　　Lirette
  prayed　him　and　desired　him　that　he　would　tarry　yet　one　week。
  But　Martimor　said；　No！　for　his　adventures　were　before　him；　and
  that　he　could　not　be　happy　save　in　the　doing　of　great　deeds
  and　the　winning　of　knightly　fame。　　Then　he　showed　her　the　Blue
  Flower　in　his　shield　that　was　nameless；　and　told　her　how　Sir
  Lancelot　had　said　that　he　must　find　it；　then　should　he　name　it
  and　have　both　crest　and　motto。
  〃Does　it　grow　in　my　garden？〃　said　Lirette。
  〃I　have　not　seen　it；〃　said　he；　〃and　now　the　flowers　are
  all　faded。〃
  〃Perhaps　in　the　month　of　May？〃　said　she。
  〃In　that　month　I　will　come　again；〃　said　he；　〃for　by　that
  time　it　may　fortune　that　I　shall　achieve　my　quest；　but　now
  forth　must　I　fare。〃
  So　there　was　sad　cheer　in　the　Mill　that　day；　and　at　night
  there　came　a　fierce　storm　with　howling　wind　and　plumping　rain；
  and　Martimor　slept　ill。　　About　the　break　of　day　he　was　wakened
  by　a　great　roaring　and　pounding；　then　he　looked　out　of　window；
  and　saw　the　river　in　flood；　with　black　waves　spuming　and
  raving；　like　wood　beasts；　and　driving　before　them　great　logs
  and　broken　trees。　　Thus　the　river　hurled　and　hammered　at　the
  mill…dam　so　that　it　trembled；　and　the　logs　leaped　as　they
  would　spring　over　it；　and　the　voice　of　Flumen　shouted　hoarsely
  and　hungrily；　〃Yet　will　I　mar　the　Mill　and　have　the　Maid！〃
  Then　Martimor　ran　with　the　miller　out　upon　the　dam；　and
  they　laboured　at　the　gates　that　held　the　river　back；　and
  thrust　away　the　logs　that　were　heaped　over　them；　and　cut　with
  axes；　and　fought　with　the　river。　　So　at　last　two　of　the　gates
  were　lifted　and　one　was　broken；　and　the　flood　ran　down
  ramping　and　roaring　in　great　raundon；　and　as　it　ran　the　black
  face　of　Flumen　sprang　above　it；　crying；　〃Yet　will　I　mar　both
  Mill　and　Maid。〃
  〃That　shalt　thou　never　do；〃　cried　Martimor；　〃by　foul　or
  fair；　while　the　life　beats　in　my　body。〃
  So　he　came　back　with　the　miller　into　the　Mill；　and　there
  was　meat　ready　for　them　and　they　ate　strongly　and　with　good
  heart。　　〃Now；〃　said　the　miller；　〃must　I　mend　the　gate。　　But
  how　it　may　be　done；　I　know　not；　for　surely　this　will　be　great
  travail　for　a　man　alone。〃
  〃Why　alone？〃　said　Martimor。
  〃Thou　wilt　stay；　then？〃　said　Lirette。
  〃Yea；〃　said　he。
  〃For　another　month？〃　said　she。
  〃Till　the　gate　be　mended；〃　said　he。
  But　when　the　gate　was　mended　there　came　another　flood　and
  brake　the　second　gate。　　And　when　that　was　mended　there　came
  another　flood　and　brake　the　third　gate。　　So　when　all　three
  were　mended　firm　and　fast；　being　bound　with　iron；　still　the
  grimly　river　hurled　over　the　dam；　and　the　voice　of　Flumen
  muttered　in　the　dark　of　winter　nights；　〃Yet　will　I
  marmarmaryet　will　I　mar　Mill　and　Maid。〃
  〃Oho！〃　said　Martimor；　〃this　is　a　durable　and　dogged　knave。
  Art　thou　feared　of　him　Lirette？〃
  〃Not　so；〃　said　she；　〃for　thou　art　stronger。　　But　fear　have
  I　of　the　day　when　thou　ridest　forth　in　thy　quest。〃
  〃Well；　as　to　that；〃　said　he；　〃when　I　have　overcome　this
  false　devil　Flumen；　then　will　we　consider　and　appoint　that
  day。〃
  So　the　delay　continued；　and　Martimor　was　both　busy　and
  happy　at　the　Mill；　for　he　liked　and　loved　this　damsel　well；
  and　was　fain　of　her　company。　　Moreover　the　strife　with　Flumen
  was　great　joy　to　him。
  VI
  How　the　Month　of　May　came　to　the　Mill；　and　the　Delay　was　Made　Longer
  Now　when　the　month　of　May　came　to　the　Mill　it　brought　a　plenty
  of　sweet　flowers；　and　Lirette　wrought　in　the　garden。　　With
  her；　when　the　day　was　spent　and　the　sun　rested　upon　the　edge
  of　the　hill；　went　Martimor；　and　she　showed　him　all　her　flowers
  that　were　blue。　　But　none　of　them　was　like　the　flower　on　his
  shield。
  〃Is　it　this？〃　she　cried；　giving　him　a　violet。　　〃Too　dark；〃
  said　he。
  〃Then　here　it　is；〃　she　said；　plucking　a　posy　of
  forget…me…not。
  〃Too　light；〃　said　he。
  〃Surely　this　is　it；〃　and　she　brought　him　a　spray　of
  blue…bells。
  〃Too　slender；〃　said　he；　〃and　well　I　ween　that　I　may　not
  find　that　flower；　till　I　ride　farther　in　my　quest　and　achieve
  great　adventure。〃
  Then　was　the　Maid　cast　down；　and　Martimor　was　fain　to
  comfort　her。
  So　while　they　walked　thus　in　the　garden；　the　days　were
  fair　and　still；　and　the　river　ran　lowly　and　slowly；　as　it　were
  full　of　gentleness；　and　Flumen　had　amended　him　of　his　evil
  ways。　　But　full　of　craft　and　guile　was　that　false　foe。　　For
  now　that　the　gates　were　firm　and　strong；　he　found　a　way　down
  through　the　corner　of　the　dam；　where　a　water…rat　had　burrowed；
  and　there　the　water　went　seeping　and　creeping；　gnawing　ever　at
  the　hidden　breach。　　Presently　in　the　night　came　a　mizzling　rain；
  and　far　among　the　hills　a　cloud　brake　open；　and　the　mill…pond
  flowed　over　and　under；　and　the　dam　crumbled　away；　and　the　Mill
  shook；　and　the　whole　river　ran　roaring　through　the　garden。
  Then　was　Martimor　wonderly　wroth；　because　the　river　had
  blotted　out　the　Maid's　flowers。　　〃And　one　day；〃　she　cried；
  holding　fast　to　him　and　trembling；　〃one　day　Flumen　will　have
  me；　when　thou　art　gone。〃
  〃Not　so；〃　said　he；　〃by　the　faith　of　my　body　that　foul
  fiend　shall　never　have　thee。　　I　will　bind　him；　I　will　compel
  him；　or　die　in　the　deed。〃
  So　he　went　forth；　upward　along　the　river；　till　he　came　to
  a　strait　Place　among　the　hills。　　There　was　a　great　rock　full
  of　caves　and　hollows；　and　there　the　water　whirled　and　burbled
  in　furious　wise。　　〃Here；〃　thought　he；　〃is　the　hold　of　the
  knave　Flumen；　and　if　I　may　cut　through　above　this　rock　and
  make　a　dyke　with　a　gate　in　it；　to　let　down　the　water　another
  way　when　the　floods　come；　so　shall　I　spoil　him　of　his　craft
  and　put　him　to　the　worse。〃
  Then　he　toiled　day　and　night　to　make　the　dyke；　and　ever　by
  night　Flumen　came　and　strove　with　him；　and　did　his　power　to
  cast　him　down　and　strangle　him。　　But　Martimor　stood　fast　and
  drave　him　back。
  And　at　last；　as　they　wrestled　and　whapped　together；　they
  fell　headlong　in　the　stream。
  〃Ho…o！〃　shouted　Flumen；　〃now　will　I　drown　thee；　and　mar
  the　Mill　and　the　Maid。〃
  But　Martimor　gripped　him　by　the　neck　and　thrust　his　head
  betwixt　the　leaves　of　the　gate　and　shut　them　fast；　so　that　his
  eyes　stood　out　like　gobbets　of　foam；　and　his　black　tongue　hung
  from　his　mouth　like　a　water…weed。
  〃Now　shalt　thou　swear　never　to　mar　Mill　nor　Maid；　but
  meekly　to　serve　them；〃　cried　Martimor。　　Then　Flumen　sware　by
  wind　and　wave；　by　storm　and　stream；　by　rain　and　river；　by　pond
  and　pool；　by　flood　and　fountain；　by　dyke　and　dam。
  〃These　be　changeable　things；〃　said　Martimor；　swear　by　the
  Name　of　God。〃
  So　he　sware；　and　even　as　the　Name　passed　his　teeth；　the
  gobbets　of　foam　floated　forth　from　the　gate；　and　the　water…weed
  writhed　away　with　the　stream；　and　the　river　flowed　fair　and
  softly；　with　a　sound　like　singing。
  Then　Martimor　came　back　to　the　Mill；　and　told　how　Flumen
  was　overcome　and　made　to　swear　a　pact。　　Thus　their　hearts
  waxed　light　and　jolly；　and　they　kept　that　day　as　it　were　a
  love…day。
  VII
  How　Martimor　Bled　for　a　Lady　and　Lived　for　a　Maid；
  and　how　His　Great　Adventure　Ended　and　Began　at　the　Mill
  Now　leave　we　of　the　Mill　and　Martimor　and　the　Maid；　and　let　us
  speak　of　a　certain　Lady；　passing　tall　and　fair　and　young。
  This　was　the　Lady　Beauvivante；　that　was　daughter　to　King
  Pellinore。　　And　three　false　knights　took　her　by　craft　from　her
  father's　court　and　led　her　away　to　wor