ago."

"At Wilton! With the Queen?"

"No; she left the court long ago. You and the _Sea Wraith_ were scarce a
month gone when that grim old knight, her guardian, would have made for
her a marriage with some spendthrift sprig of more wealth than wit. But
Sidney, working through Walsingham and his uncle Leicester, and most of
all through his own golden speech, got from the Queen consent to the
lady's retirement from the court, and so greatly disliked a marriage.
With a very noble retinue he brought her to his sister at Wilton, where,
with that most noble countess, she abides in sanctuary. When you take
her hence--"

Sir Mortimer laughed. "When I take the rainbow from the sky--when I leap
to meet the moon and find the silver damsel in my arms indeed--when
yonder sea hath washed away all the blood of the earth--when I find
Ponce de Leon's spring and speak to the nymph therein: 'Now free me from
this year, and this, and this, and this! Make me the man that once I
was!' Then I will go a pilgrimage to Wilton."

He rose and paced the room once or twice, then came back to Arden at the
window. "Old school-fellow, we are not boys now. There be no enchanters;
and the giant hugs himself in his tower, nor will come forth at any
challenge; and the dragon hath so shrunken that he shows no larger than
a man's self;--all illusion's down!... I thank thee for thy news of a
lady whom I love. I am full glad to know that she is in health and
safety, among old friends, honored, beloved, fairer than the fairest--"
His voice shook, and for the moment he bowed his face within his hands,
but repression came immediately to his command. He raised his head and
began again with a quiet voice, "I will write to her a letter, and you
will be its bearer--will you not, old friend? riding with it by the
green fields and the English oaks to noble Wilton--"

"And where, when the ships have brought us home, do you go, Mortimer?"

"To the Low Countries. Seeing that I go as a private soldier, John Nevil
may easily gain me leave. And thou, Giles, I know, wilt give me money
with which I may arm me and may cross to the English camp. I am glad
that Philip Sidney becomes my general. Although I fight afoot, in the
long trenches or with the pike-men and the harquebusiers, yet may I joy
to look upon him, flashing past, all gilded like St. George, with the
great banner flying, leading the wild charge--the shouts of his horsemen
behind him--"

Arden sprang to his