t not, and did but hope that her hand would stray his way as it
had e'en now. But she arose and stood a little way from him, and spake
to him sweetly of the fairness of the evening, and the wounded man, and
the good hap of the friar's coming before nightfall; and his heart was
wrung sore with the love of her.

So came the knight up from the strand, and the holy man with him, who
greeted Ralph and the Lady and blessed them, and said: "Now, daughter,
show me thy sick man; for I am somewhat of a leech, and this thy baron
would have me heal him, and I have a right good will thereto."

So he went to the Black Knight, and when he had looked to his hurts, he
turned to them and said: "Have ye perchance any meat in the
wilderness?" "Yea," quoth the Knight of the Sun; "there is enough for a
day or more, and if we must needs abide here longer, I or this young
man may well make shift to slay some deer, great or little, for our
sustenance and the healing of my friend."

"It is well," said the Friar; "my hermitage is no great way hence, in
the thicket at the end of this water. But now is the fever on this
knight, and we may not move him ere morning at soonest; but to-morrow
we may make a shift to bear him hence by boat: or, if not, then may I
go and fetch from my cell bread and other meat, and milk of my goats;
and thus shall we do well till we may bring him to my cell, and then
shall ye leave him there; and afterwards I will lead him home to Sunway
where thou dwellest, baron, when he is well enough healed; or, if he
will not go thither, let him go his ways, and I myself will come to
Sunway and let thee wot of his welfare."

The knight yeasaid all this, and thereafter the Friar and the Lady
together tended the wounded knight, and gave him water to drink, and
wine. And meanwhile Ralph and the Knight of the Sun lay down on the
grass and watched the eve darkening, and Ralph marvelled at his
happiness, and wondered what the morrow would bring forth.

But amidst his happy thoughts the Knight of the Sun spake to him and
said: "Young knight, I have struck a bargain with her that thou shalt
follow us home, if thou wilt: but to say sooth, I think when the
bargain was struck I was minded when I had thee at Sunway to cast thee
into my prison. But now I will do otherwise, and if thou must needs
follow after thine own perdition, as I have, thou shalt do so freely;
therefore take again thine armour and weapons, and do what thou wilt
wit