little man in the yellow raiment."

But when she heard that word, she went suddenly very pale, and leaned her
head aback, and beat the air with her hands; but said presently in a
faint voice: "I pray thee talk not of that one while I am by, nor even
think of him, if thou mayest forbear."

He spake not, and she was a little while before she came to herself
again; then she opened her eyes, and looked upon Walter and smiled kindly
on him, as though to ask his pardon for having scared him. Then she rose
up in her place, and stood before him; and they were nigh together, for
the stream betwixt them was little.

But he still looked anxiously upon her and said: "Have I hurt thee? I
pray thy pardon."

She looked on him more sweetly still, and said: "O nay; thou wouldst not
hurt me, thou!"

Then she blushed very red, and he in like wise; but afterwards she turned
pale, and laid a hand on her breast, and Walter cried out hastily: "O me!
I have hurt thee again. Wherein have I done amiss?"

"In nought, in nought," she said; "but I am troubled, I wot not
wherefore; some thought hath taken hold of me, and I know it not.
Mayhappen in a little while I shall know what troubles me. Now I bid
thee depart from me a little, and I will abide here; and when thou comest
back, it will either be that I have found it out or not; and in either
case I will tell thee."

She spoke earnestly to him; but he said: "How long shall I abide away?"

Her face was troubled as she answered him: "For no long while."

He smiled on her and turned away, and went a space to the other side of
the oak-trees, whence she was still within eyeshot. There he abode until
the time seemed long to him; but he schooled himself and forbore; for he
said: Lest she send me away again. So he abided until again the time
seemed long to him, and she called not to him: but once again he forbore
to go; then at last he arose, and his heart beat and he trembled, and he
walked back again speedily, and came to the maiden, who was still
standing by the rock of the spring, her arms hanging down, her eyes
downcast. She looked up at him as he drew nigh, and her face changed
with eagerness as she said: "I am glad thou art come back, though it be
no long while since thy departure" (sooth to say it was scarce half an
hour in all). "Nevertheless I have been thinking many things, and
thereof will I now tell thee."

He said: "Maiden, there is a river betwixt us, though it be no bi