et his shoulder to it and thrust mightily; but the
door did not so much as creak. Whereupon he began to hammer against it
with his gloves of steel, and shouted with a voice as if the master
were suddenly come home to his house and found it barred.

When he was quite out of breath, between his shoutings he was aware of
a small, merry noise as of one laughing and singing. So he listened,
and this is what he heard:

"Hark to the wind in the wood without!
I laugh in my bed while I hear him roar,
Blustering, bellowing, shout after shout,--
What do you want, O wind, at my door?"

Then he cried loudly: "No wind am I, but a mighty knight, and your
door is shut. I must come in to you and that speedily!" But the
singing voice answered:

"Blow your best, you can do no more;
Batter away, for my door is stout;
The more you threaten, I laugh the more--
Hark to the wind in the wood without!"

So he hammered a while longer at the oaken panels until he was
wearifully wroth, and when the sun was rising he went his way with
sore hands and a sullen face.

"No doubt," said he, "there is a she-devil in the Tower. I hate those
who put their trust in brute strength."

It was mid-morn when there came a second knight to the Tower, whose
name was _Parle-Doux_. And he was very gentle-spoken, and full of
favourable ways, smiling always when he talked, but his eyes were cool
and ever watchful. So he made his horse prance delicately before the
Tower, and looked up at the windows with a flattering face;

"Fair house," said he, "how well art thou fashioned, and with what
beauty does the sunlight adorn thee! Here dwells the wonder of the
world, the lady of all desires, the princess of my good fortune. Would
that she might look upon me and see that the happy hour has come!"

Then there was a little sound at one of the upper windows, and the
lattice clicked open. But the lady who stood there was closely covered
with a jewelled veil, and nothing could be seen of her but her hand,
with many rings upon it, holding a key.

"Marvel of splendour," said _Parle-Doux_, "moon of beauty, jewel of
all ladies! I have won you to look upon me, now let fall the key."

"And then?" said the lady.

"Then, surely," said the knight, "I will open the door without delay,
and spring up the stairs, winged with joy, and----"

But before he had finished speaking, with the smile on his face, the
hand was drawn back, and