n; but
presently he said: "When thou art free wilt thou go to thine own land
again?"

"Yea," said the King's Son; "she will lead me thither."

"And wilt thou make her thy lady and queen when thou comest to thy
father's land?" said Walter.

The King's Son knit his brow, and said: "When I am in mine own land I may
do with her what I will; but I look for it that I shall do no otherwise
with her than that she shall be well-content."

Then the talk between them dropped, and the King's Son turned off toward
the wood, singing and joyous; but Walter went soberly toward the house.
Forsooth he was not greatly cast down, for besides that he knew that the
King's Son was false, he deemed that under this double tryst lay
something which was a-doing in his own behalf. Yet was he eager and
troubled, if not down-hearted, and his soul was cast about betwixt hope
and fear.

CHAPTER XX: WALTER IS BIDDEN TO ANOTHER TRYST

So came he into the pillared hall, and there he found the Lady walking to
and fro by the high-seat; and when he drew nigh she turned on him, and
said in a voice rather eager than angry: "What hast thou done, Squire?
Why art thou come before me?"

He was abashed, and bowed before her and said: "O gracious Lady, thou
badest me service, and I have been about it."

She said: "Tell me then, tell me, what hath betided?"

"Lady," said he, "when I entered the thicket of thy swooning I found
there no carcase of the lion, nor any sign of the dragging away of him."

She looked full in his face for a little, and then went to her chair, and
sat down therein; and in a little while spake to him in a softer voice,
and said: "Did I not tell thee that some enemy had done that unto me? and
lo! now thou seest that so it is."

Then was she silent again, and knit her brows and set her teeth; and
thereafter she spake harshly and fiercely: "But I will overcome her, and
make her days evil, but keep death away from her, that she may die many
times over; and know all the sickness of the heart, when foes be nigh,
and friends afar, and there is none to deliver!"

Her eyes flashed, and her face was dark with anger; but she turned and
caught Walter's eyes, and the sternness of his face, and she softened at
once, and said: "But thou! this hath little to do with thee; and now to
thee I speak: Now cometh even and night. Go thou to thy chamber, and
there shalt thou find raiment worthy of thee, what thou now art, and what
thou shalt