nd their
own horns gave back the sound of welcome. Then Ralph saw a man in
golden armour of strange, outlandish fashion, sitting on a great black
horse beside the Lord's litter; and Otter said: "Lo! my Lord, armed
and a-horseback to meet my lady: she looketh kinder on him thus; though
in thine ear be it said, he is no great man of war; nor need he be,
since he hath us for his shield and his hauberk."

Herewith were they come on to the causeway above the green meadows, and
presently drew rein before the pavilion, and stood about in a half-ring
facing a two score of gaily clad men-at-arms, who had come with the
Lady and a rout of folk of the household. Then the Lord gat off his
horse, and stood in his golden armour, and all the horns and other
music struck up, and forth from the pavilion came the Lady with a
half-score of her women clad gaily in silken gowns of green, and blue,
and yellow, broidered all about with gold and silver, but with naked
feet, and having iron rings on their arms, so that Ralph saw that they
were thralls. Something told him that his damsel should be amongst
these, so he gazed hard on them, but though they were goodly enough
there was none of them like to her.

As to the Queen, she was clad all in fine linen and gold, with gold
shoes on her feet: her arms came bare from out of the linen: great
they were, and the hands not small; but the arms round and fair, and
the hands shapely, and all very white and rosy: her hair was as yellow
as any that can be seen, and it was plenteous, and shed all down about
her. Her eyes were blue and set wide apart, her nose a little snubbed,
her mouth wide, full-lipped and smiling. She was very tall, a full
half-head taller than any of her women: yea, as tall as a man who is
above the middle height of men.

Now she came forward hastily with long strides, and knelt adown before
the Lord, but even as she kneeled looked round with a laughing face.
The Lord stooped down to her and took her by both hands, and raised her
up, and kissed her on the cheek (and he looked but little and of no
presence beside her:) and he said: "Hail to thee, my Lady; thou art
come far from thine home to meet me, and I thank thee therefor. Is it
well with our House?"

She spake seeming carelessly and loud; but her voice was somewhat
husky: "Yea, my Lord, all is well; few have done amiss, and the harvest
is plenteous." As she spake the Lord looked with knit brows at the
damsels behind