ght tidings, to wit that all was done: Longshaw taken and ruined,
the warriors thereof slain or scattered, and Sir Godrick brought to
the heading-block in the King's City. Now great indeed was the joy in
Brookside, and great joy and feast they made; and the Lady of the
Castle sat at the high-table, clad in golden garments, at a glorious
banquet which was held every night of the octave of the day when they
had first heard these good tidings. But when the Carline saw the
sadness of the Maiden because of it, she said to her: "Nay, nay, my
child, put on a good countenance and up with thine heart. For every
tale is good till the next one is told; and I must tell thee that
these last two who had one in their mouths, the chapman and the canon
to wit, I questioned them closely, first the two together, and then
each one by himself, and methought I could see that they knew little
more about it than we do, and were but carrying about empty hearsay,
ever making the most of what they deemed we and they would like the
best to hear. I would rather they had told us once more of the Aunturs
of King Arthur and Sir Gawain."

The Maiden smiled at her word, and her heart was lightened, for it
pleased her nought to think that this good Knight, Sir Godrick, whom
her friend had so bepraised to her, should have been overcome and led
to death by his foemen. Now after this they gat no tidings of any
account till May was well on; and then none at all a long while, till
at last June was come, and folk about the Castle were getting fearful,
lest something untoward had befallen.

At last, on a hot and dry afternoon of June, when the Carline and the
Maiden were together and had gotten leave to be without the gate, they
saw a horseman come riding from the wood on the other side of the
gate, with his head turned toward the Castle, and then another, and
then two more. And as they drew nigher, they could see that these were
gaunt and tattered and in evil array, and they rode very slowly. And
those two beheld them, and saw that no more came, and they wondered
what they were. But at last, when they were close on the bridge, they
saw only too well by the rags of their array and by the faces of two
of them, whom they knew, that these were men-at-arms of Brookside. And
the women stood still astonied and wist not what to do; and the men
also drew up to them and then abode, and one, he whom they knew the
best, spake to them in a harsh voice and said: "God knows