ndeed, I was upon mine own familiar ground of
inward delight; and I replied in a quiet and usual voice, that the
Towers of Sleep would grow that night, and I felt in my bones that it
was a night to find the Giant's Tomb, or the Tree with the Great Painted
Head, or--And surely I stopped very sudden; for she gripped me in that
moment, and her hand shook as she held me; but when I would ask her what
ailed, she bid me, very breathless, to say on, to say on. And, with a
half understanding, I told her that I had but meant to speak of the Moon
Garden, that was an olden and happy fancy of mine.

And, in verity, when I said that, the Lady Mirdath cried out something
in a strange low voice, and brought me to a halt, that she might face
me. And she questioned me very earnest; and I answered just so earnest
as she; for I was grown suddenly to an excitement, in that I perceived
she knew also. And, in verity, she told me that she had knowledge; but
had thought that she was alone in the world with her knowledge of that
strange land of her dreams; and now to find that I also had travelled in
those dear, strange dream lands. And truly the marvel of it--the marvel
of it! As she to say time and oft. And again, as we walked, she gave out
word that there was little wonder she had been urged to call to me that
night, as she saw me pause upon the road; though, indeed, she had
learned of our cousin-ship before, having seen me go by on my horse
pretty oft, and inquired concerning me; and mayhap daintily irked that I
had so little heed of Lady Mirdath the Beautiful. But, indeed, I had
thought of other matters; yet had been human enough, had I but met her
proper before I see her.

Now you must not think that I was not utter stirred by the wonder of
this thing, that we had both a dreamful knowledge of the same matters,
of which each had thought none other knew. Yet, when I questioned more,
there was much that had been in my fancies that was foreign to her, and
likewise much that had been familiar to her, that was of no meaning to
me. But though there was this, that brought a little regret to us, there
would be, time and again, some new thing that one told, that the other
knew and could finish the telling of, to the gladness and amazement of
both.

And so shall you picture us wandering and having constant speech, so
that, hour by hour, we grew gladly aged in dear knowledge and sweet
friendship of the other.

And truly, how the time passed, I kn