believed that I was then far away on the country road. And as she walked
with her dogs, one or another would run back to me, to nose against me
friendly-wise; but I sent them off again very quiet; and she had no
knowledge of aught; for she to go singing a love-song quietly all the
way home. But whether she loved me, I could not tell; though she had a
nice affection for me.

Now, on the following evening, I went somewhat early to the gap; and lo!
who should be standing in the gap, talking to the Lady Mirdath; but a
very clever-drest man, that had a look of the Court about him; and he,
when I approached, made no way for me through the gap; but stood firm,
and eyed me very insolent; so that I put out my hand, and lifted him
from my way.

And lo! the Lady Mirdath turned a bitterness of speech upon me that gave
me an utter pain and astonishment; so that I was assured in a moment
that she had no true love for me, or she had never striven so to put me
to shame before the stranger, and named me uncouth and brutal to a
smaller man. And, indeed, you shall perceive how I was in my heart in
that moment.

And I saw that there was some seeming of justice in what the Lady
Mirdath said; but yet might the man have shown a better spirit; and
moreover Mirdath the Beautiful had no true call to shame me, her true
friend and cousin, before this stranger. Yet did I not stop to argue;
but bowed very low to the Lady Mirdath; and afterward I bowed a little
to the man and made apology; for, indeed, he was neither great nor
strong-made; and I had been better man to have shown courtesy to him; at
least in the first.