, and
ever and anon methought to behold my lady, but dim and very far removed
from me, so that sometimes I ran and oft-times I fell to moaning and
shedding weak and impotent tears. Truly a black and evil day for me
this, whereof I have but a vague memory save only of pain, a hopeless
weariness and intolerable thirst. Thus it was sunset when I found
myself once more upon that grassy plateau, creeping on hands and knees,
though how I came thither I knew not. I remember drinking from the
little rill and staggering within the cave, there to fall and lie
filling the place with my lamentations and oft-repeated cry of
"Damaris! O Damaris!" I remember a patch of silver light, a radiance
that crept across the gloom, and of dreaming my lady beside me as of
old, and of babbling of love and forgiveness, of pain and heartbreak,
whiles I watched the beam of light creeping nigh me upon the floor;
until, sobbing and moaning, yet gazing ever upon this light, I saw grow
upon it a sudden dark shape that moved, heard a rustle behind me, a
footstep--a cry! And knowing this for the man Humphrey come upon me at
last in my weakness, I strove to rise, to turn and face him, but
finding this vain, cried out upon him for murderer. "'Twas you killed
her--my love--the very soul of me--'twas you, Humphrey, that are
dead--come, that I may slay you again!" Then feeling his hands upon me
I strove to draw my knife, but could not and groaned, and so knowledge
passed from me.

CHAPTER XXXVIII

CONCERNING THE DEAD MAN HUMPHREY AND HOW I SAW A VISION IN THE MOONLIGHT

My next memory was of sun and a dance of leafy shadows on the wall of
the cave, the which shadows held my attention so that I had no will to
look otherwhere; for these were merry shadows that leapt in sportive
gambols, that danced and swayed, pleasing me mightily. And as I
watched these antic shadows I could hear the pleasant murmur of the
little rill without the cave, that bubbled with sweet, soft noises like
small, babbling voices and brake ever and anon into elfin laughter.
And presently, mingled with this pretty babblement, I seemed to hear a
whisper:

"Martin! Dear Martin!"

And now I saw my lady plunge to death from the rock, and started up,
filling the place with my lamentations, until for very weakness I lay
hushed and heard again the soft rippling of the brook and therewith her
voice very sweet and faint and far away:

"Martin! Dear Martin!"

I remember a season