to　his　arms；　and　raised　him　up；　and　said　to　him：　　〃What　is　this；　my
  Squire；　that　thou　kneelest　to　me　as　to　an　idol？〃
  He　said　faltering：　　〃I　wot　not；　but　perchance　thou　art　an　idol；　and
  I　fear　thee。〃
  〃What！〃　she　said；　〃more　than　yesterday；　whenas　thou　sawest　me
  afraid？〃
  Said　he：　　〃Yea；　for　that　now　I　see　thee　unhidden；　and　meseemeth
  there　hath　been　none　such　since　the　old　days　of　the　Gentiles。〃
  She　said：　　〃Hast　thou　not　yet　bethought　thee　of　a　gift　to　crave　of
  me；　a　reward　for　the　slaying　of　mine　enemy；　and　the　saving　of　me
  from　death？〃
  〃O　my　Lady；〃　he　said；　〃even　so　much　would　I　have　done　for　any　other
  lady；　or；　forsooth；　for　any　poor　man；　for　so　my　manhood　would　have
  bidden　me。　　Speak　not　of　gifts　to　me　then。　　Moreover〃　（and　he
  reddened　therewith；　and　his　voice　faltered）；　〃didst　thou　not　give　me
  my　sweet　reward　yesterday？　　What　more　durst　I　ask？〃
  She　held　her　peace　awhile；　and　looked　on　him　keenly；　and　he　reddened
  under　her　gaze。　　Then　wrath　came　into　her　face；　and　she　reddened　and
  knit　her　brows；　and　spake　to　him　in　a　voice　of　anger；　and　said：
  〃Nay；　what　is　this？　　It　is　growing　in　my　mind　that　thou　deemest　the
  gift　of　me　unworthy！　　Thou；　an　alien；　an　outcast；　one　endowed　with
  the　little　wisdom　of　the　World　without　the　Wood！　　And　here　I　stand
  before　thee；　all　glorious　in　my　nakedness；　and　so　fulfilled　of
  wisdom；　that　I　can　make　this　wilderness　to　any　whom　I　love　more　full
  of　joy　than　the　kingdoms　and　cities　of　the　worldand　thou！Ah；　but
  it　is　the　Enemy　that　hath　done　this；　and　made　the　guileless
  guileful！　　Yet　will　I　have　the　upper　hand　at　least；　though　thou
  suffer　for　it；　and　I　suffer　for　thee。〃
  Walter　stood　before　her　with　hanging　head；　and　he　put　forth　his
  hands　as　if　praying　off　her　anger；　and　pondered　what　answer　he
  should　make；　for　now　he　feared　for　himself　and　the　Maid；　so　at　last
  he　looked　up　to　her；　and　said　boldly：　　〃Nay；　Lady；　I　know　what　thy
  words　mean；　whereas　I　remember　thy　first　welcome　of　me。　　I　wot；
  forsooth；　that　thou　wouldst　call　me　base…born；　and　of　no　account；
  and　unworthy　to　touch　the　hem　of　thy　raiment；　and　that　I　have　been
  over…bold；　and　guilty　towards　thee；　and　doubtless　this　is　sooth；　and
  I　have　deserved　thine　anger：　　but　I　will　not　ask　thee　to　pardon　me；
  for　I　have　done　but　what　I　must　needs。〃
  She　looked　on　him　calmly　now；　and　without　any　wrath；　but　rather　as
  if　she　would　read　what　was　written　in　his　inmost　heart。　　Then　her
  face　changed　into　joyousness　again；　and　she　smote　her　palms
  together；　and　cried　out：　　〃This　is　but　foolish　talk；　for　yesterday
  did　I　see　thy　valiancy；　and　to…day　I　have　seen　thy　goodliness；　and　I
  say；　that　though　thou　mightest　not　be　good　enough　for　a　fool　woman
  of　the　earthly　baronage；　yet　art　thou　good　enough　for　me；　the　wise
  and　the　mighty；　and　the　lovely。　　And　whereas　thou　sayest　that　I　gave
  thee　but　disdain　when　first　thou　camest　to　us；　grudge　not　against　me
  therefor；　because　it　was　done　but　to　prove　thee；　and　now　thou　art
  proven。〃
  Then　again　he　knelt　down　before　her；　and　embraced　her　knees；　and
  again　she　raised　him　up；　and　let　her　arm　hang　down　over　his
  shoulder；　and　her　cheek　brush　his　cheek；　and　she　kissed　his　mouth
  and　said：　　〃Hereby　is　all　forgiven；　both　thine　offence　and　mine；　and
  now　cometh　joy　and　merry　days。〃
  Therewith　her　smiling　face　grew　grave；　and　she　stood　before　him
  looking　stately　and　gracious　and　kind　at　once；　and　she　took　his　hand
  and　said：　　〃Thou　mightest　deem　my　chamber　in　the　Golden　House　of　the
  Wood　over…queenly；　since　thou　art　no　masterful　man。　　So　now　hast
  thou　chosen　well　the　place　wherein　to　meet　me　to…day；　for　hard　by　on
  the　other　side　of　the　stream　is　a　bower　of　pleasance；　which；
  forsooth；　not　every　one　who　cometh　to　this　land　may　find；　there
  shall　I　be　to　thee　as　one　of　the　up…country　damsels　of　thine　own
  land；　and　thou　shalt　not　be　abashed。〃
  She　sidled　up　to　him　as　she　spoke；　and　would　he；　would　he　not；　her
  sweet　voice　tickled　his　very　soul　with　pleasure；　and　she　looked
  aside　on　him　happy　and　well…content。
  So　they　crossed　the　stream　by　the　shallow　below　the　pool　wherein
  Walter　had　bathed；　and　within　a　little　they　came　upon　a　tall　fence
  of　flake…hurdles；　and　a　simple　gate　therein。　　The　Lady　opened　the
  same；　and　they　entered　thereby　into　a　close　all　planted　as　a　most
  fair　garden；　with　hedges　of　rose　and　woodbine；　and　with　linden…trees
  a…blossom；　and　long　ways　of　green　grass　betwixt　borders　of　lilies
  and　clove…gilliflowers；　and　other　sweet　garland…flowers。　　And　a
  branch　of　the　stream　which　they　had　crossed　erewhile　wandered
  through　that　garden；　and　in　the　midst　was　a　little　house　built　of
  post　and　pan；　and　thatched　with　yellow　straw；　as　if　it　were　new
  done。
  Then　Walter　looked　this　way　and　that；　and　wondered　at　first；　and
  tried　to　think　in　his　mind　what　should　come　next；　and　how　matters
  would　go　with　him；　but　his　thought　would　not　dwell　steady　on　any
  other　matter　than　the　beauty　of　the　Lady　amidst　the　beauty　of　the
  garden；　and　withal　she　was　now　grown　so　sweet　and　kind；　and　even
  somewhat　timid　and　shy　with　him；　that　scarce　did　he　know　whose　hand
  he　held；　or　whose　fragrant　bosom　and　sleek　side　went　so　close　to
  him。
  So　they　wandered　here　and　there　through　the　waning　of　the　day；　and
  when　they　entered　at　last　into　the　cool　dusk　house；　then　they　loved
  and　played　together；　as　if　they　were　a　pair　of　lovers　guileless；
  with　no　fear　for　the　morrow；　and　no　seeds　of　enmity　and　death　sown
  betwixt　them。
  CHAPTER　XVIII：　　THE　MAID　GIVES　WALTER　TRYST
  Now；　on　the　morrow；　when　Walter　was　awake；　he　found　there　was　no　one
  lying　beside　him；　and　the　day　was　no　longer　very　young；　so　he　arose；
  and　went　through　the　garden　from　end　to　end；　and　all　about；　and
  there　was　none　there；　and　albeit　that　he　dreaded　to　meet　the　Lady
  there；　yet　was　he　sad　at　heart　and　fearful　of　what　might　betide。
  Howsoever；　he　found　the　gate　whereby　they　had　entered　yesterday；　and
  he　went　out　into　the　little　dale；　but　when　he　had　gone　a　step　or　two
  he　turned　about；　and　could　see　neither　garden　nor　fence；　nor　any
  sign　of　what　he　had　seen　thereof　but　lately。　　He　knit　his　brow　and
  stood　still　to　think　of　it；　and　his　heart　grew　the　heavier　thereby；
  but　presently　he　went　his　ways　and　crossed　the　stream；　but　had
  scarce　come　up　on　to　the　grass　on　the　further　side；　ere　he　saw　a
  woman　coming　to　meet　him；　and　at　first；　full　as　he　was　of　the　tide
  of　yesterday　and　the　wondrous　garden；　deemed　that　it　would　be　the
  Lady；　but　the　woman　stayed　her　feet；　and；　stooping；　laid　a　hand　on
  her　right　ankle；　and　he　saw　that　it　was　the　Maid。　　He　drew　anigh　to
  her；　and　saw　that　she　was　nought　so　sad　of　countenance　as　the　last
  time　she　had　met　him；　but　flushed　of　cheek　and　bright…eyed。
  As　he　came　up　to　her　she　made　a　step　or　two　to　meet　him；　holding　out
  her　two　hands；　and　then　refrained　her；　and　said　smiling：　　〃Ah；
  friend；　belike　this　shall　be　the　last　time　that　I　shall　say　to　thee；
  touch　me　not；　nay；　not　so　much　as　my　hand；　or　if　it　were　but　the　hem
  of　my　raiment。〃
  The　joy　grew　up　in　his　heart；　and　he　gazed　on　her　fondly；　and　said：
  〃Why；　what　hath　befallen　of　late？〃
  〃O　friend；〃　she　began；　〃this　hath　befallen。〃
  But　as　he　looked　on　her；　the　smile　died　from　her　face；　and　she
  became　deadly　pale　to　the　very　lips；　she　looked　askance　to　her　left
  side；　whereas　ran　the　stream；　and　Walter　followed　her　eyes；　and
  deemed　for　one　instant　that　he　saw　the　misshapen　yellow　visage　of
  the　dwarf　peering　round　from　a　grey　rock；　but　the　next　there　was
  nothing。　　Then　the　Maid；　though　she　were　as　pale　as　death；　went　on
  in　a　clear；　steady；　hard　voice；　wherein　was　no　joy　or　kindness；
  keeping　her　face　to　Walter　and　her　back　to　the　stream：　　〃This　hath
  befallen；　friend；　that　there　is　no　longer　any　need　to　refrain　thy
  love　nor　mine；　therefore　I　say　to　thee；　come　to　my　chamber　（and　it
  is　the　red　chamber　over　against　thine；　though　thou　knewest　it　not）
  an　hour　before　this　next　midnight；　and　then　thy　sorrow　and　mine
  shall　be　at　an　end：　　and　now　I　must　needs　depart。　　Follow　me　not；
  but　remember！〃
  And　therewith　she　turned　about　and　fled　like　the　wind　down　the
  stream。
  But　Walter　stood　wondering；　and　knew　not　what　to　make　of　it；　whether
  it　were　for　good　or　ill：　　for　he　knew　now　that　she　had　paled　and
  been　seized　with　terror　because　of　the　upheaving　of　the　ugly　head；
  and　yet　she　had　seemed　to　speak　out　the　very　thing　she　had　to　say。
  Howsoever　it　were；　he　spake　aloud　to　himself：　　Whatever　comes；　I
  will　keep　tryst　with　her。
  Then　he　drew　his　sword；　and　turned　this　way　and　that；　looking　all
  about　if　he　might　see　any　sign　of　the　Evil　Thing；　but　nought　might
  his　eyes　behold；　save　the　grass；　and　the　stream；　and　the　bushes　of
  the　dale。　　So　then；　still　holding　his　naked　sword　in　his　hand；　he
  clomb　the　bent　out　of　the　dale；　for　that　was　the　only　way　he　knew　to
  the　Golden　House；　and　when　he　came　to　the　top；　and　the　summer　breeze
  blew　in　his　face；　and　he　looked　down　a　fair　green　slope　beset　with
  goodly　oaks　and　chestnuts；　he　was　refreshed　with　the　life　of　the
  earth；　and　he　felt　the　good　sword　in　his　fist；　and　knew　that　there
  was　might　and　longing　in　him；　and　the　world　seemed　open　unto　him。
  So　he　smiled；　if　it　were　somewhat　grimly；　and　sheathed　his　sword　and
  went　on　toward　the　house。
  C