is strange! for notest thou not how the
folk in the street heed not this quaint show; nay not even the stately
lady, though she be as lovely as a goddess of the gentiles, and beareth
on her gems that would buy Langton twice over; surely they must be over-
wont to strange and gallant sights. But now, master, but now!"

"Yea, what is it?" said Walter.

"Why, master, they should not yet be gone out of eye-shot, yet gone they
are. What is become of them, are they sunk into the earth?"

"Tush, man!" said Walter, looking not on Arnold, but still staring down
the street; "they have gone into some house while thine eyes were turned
from them a moment."

"Nay, master, nay," said Arnold, "mine eyes were not off them one instant
of time."

"Well," said Walter, somewhat snappishly, "they are gone now, and what
have we to do to heed such toys, we with all this grief and strife on our
hands? Now would I be alone to turn the matter of thine errand over in
my mind. Meantime do thou tell the shipmaster Geoffrey and our other
folk of these tidings, and thereafter get thee all ready; and come hither
to me before sunrise to-morrow, and I shall be ready for my part; and so
sail we back to Langton."

Therewith he turned him back into the house, and the others went their
ways; but Walter sat alone in his chamber a long while, and pondered
these things in his mind. And whiles he made up his mind that he would
think no more of the vision of those three, but would fare back to
Langton, and enter into the strife with the Reddings and quell them, or
die else. But lo, when he was quite steady in this doom, and his heart
was lightened thereby, he found that he thought no more of the Reddings
and their strife, but as matters that were passed and done with, and that
now he was thinking and devising if by any means he might find out in
what land dwelt those three. And then again he strove to put that from
him, saying that what he had seen was but meet for one brainsick, and a
dreamer of dreams. But furthermore he thought, Yea, and was Arnold, who
this last time had seen the images of those three, a dreamer of waking
dreams? for he was nought wonted in such wise; then thought he: At least
I am well content that he spake to me of their likeness, not I to him;
for so I may tell that there was at least something before my eyes which
grew not out of mine own brain. And yet again, why should I follow them;
and what should I get by it; and ind