see that it is well with
me, yea, and with thee also. A sore pain it is to me, that not even now
may I take thine hand, and cast mine arms about thee, and kiss the lips
that love me. But so it has to be. My dear, even so I were fain to
stand here long before thee, even if we spake no more word to each other;
but abiding here is perilous; for there is ever an evil spy upon my
doings, who has now as I deem followed the King's Son to the house, but
who will return when he has tracked him home thither: so we must sunder.
But belike there is yet time for a word or two: first, the rede which I
had thought on for our deliverance is now afoot, though I durst not tell
thee thereof, nor have time thereto. But this much shall I tell thee,
that whereas great is the craft of my Mistress in wizardry, yet I also
have some little craft therein, and this, which she hath not, to change
the aspect of folk so utterly that they seem other than they verily are;
yea, so that one may have the aspect of another. Now the next thing is
this: whatsoever my Mistress may bid thee, do her will therein with no
more nay-saying than thou deemest may please her. And the next thing:
wheresoever thou mayst meet me, speak not to me, make no sign to me, even
when I seem to be all alone, till I stoop down and touch the ring on my
ankle with my right hand; but if I do so, then stay thee, without fail,
till I speak. The last thing I will say to thee, dear friend, ere we
both go our ways, this it is. When we are free, and thou knowest all
that I have done, I pray thee deem me not evil and wicked, and be not
wroth with me for my deed; whereas thou wottest well that I am not in
like plight with other women. I have heard tell that when the knight
goeth to the war, and hath overcome his foes by the shearing of swords
and guileful tricks, and hath come back home to his own folk, they praise
him and bless him, and crown him with flowers, and boast of him before
God in the minster for his deliverance of friend and folk and city. Why
shouldst thou be worse to me than this? Now is all said, my dear and my
friend; farewell, farewell!"

Therewith she turned and went her ways toward the house in all speed, but
making somewhat of a compass. And when she was gone, Walter knelt down
and kissed the place where her feet had been, and arose thereafter, and
made his way toward the house, he also, but slowly, and staying oft on
his way.

CHAPTER XVII: OF THE HOU