her shivering fear. How far otherwise came our Lady in
hither when first she came amongst us, when the Duke of us found her in
the wood after she had been thrust out from Sunway by the Baron whom
thou slewest afterward. Our Duke brought her in hither wrapped up in
his knight's scarlet cloak, and went up with her on to the dais; but
when she came thither, she turned about and let her cloak fall to
earth, and stood there barefoot in her smock, as she had been cast out
into the wildwood, and she spread abroad her hands, and cried out in a
loud voice as sweet as the May blackbird, 'May God bless this House and
the abode of the valiant, and the shelter of the hapless.'"

Said Ursula (and her voice was firm and the colour come back to her
cheeks now, while Ralph stood agaze and wondering): "Roger, thou lovest
me little, meseemeth, though if I did less than I do, I should do
against the will of thy Lady that was Queen in this hall. But tell me,
Roger, where is gone that other one, the fearful she-bear of this crag,
who sat in yonder stone high-seat, and roared at me and mocked me, and
gave me over into the hands of her tormentors, who haled me away to the
prison wherefrom thy very Lady delivered me?"

"Lady," said Roger, "the tale of her is short since the day thou sawest
her herein. On the day when we first had the evil tidings of the
slaying of my Lady we were sad at heart, and called to mind ancient
transgressions against us; therefore we fell on the she-bear, as thou
callest her, and her company of men and women, and some we slew and
some we thrust forth; but as to her, I slew her not three feet from
where thou standest now. A rumour there is that she walketh, and it
may be so; yet in the summer noon ye need not look to see her."

Ralph said coldly: "Roger, let us be done with minstrels' tales; lead
me to the place where the oath is to be sworn, for time presses."

Scarce were the words out of his mouth ere Roger strode forward and gat
him on to the dais and went hastily to the wall behind the high-seat,
whence he took down a very great horn, and set it to his lips and
winded it loudly thrice, so that the great and high hall was full of
its echoes. Richard started thereat and half drew his sword; but the
Sage put his hand upon the hilts, and said: "It is naught, let the
edges lie quiet." Ursula stared astonished, but now she quaked no more;
Ralph changed not countenance a wit, and the champions of the Tree made