And so, having done justice to my own respect, I turned and went on, and
left them to their happiness.

Now, I walked then, maybe twenty good miles, before I came to my own
home; for there was no rest in me all that night, or ever, because that
I was grown deadly in love of Mirdath the Beautiful; and all my spirit
and heart and body of me pained with the dreadful loss that I was come
so sudden upon.

And for a great week I had my walks in another direction; but in the end
of that week, I must take my walk along the olden way, that I might
chance to have but a sight of My Lady. And, truly, I had all sight that
ever man did need to put him in dread pain and jealousy; for, truly, as
I came in view of the gap, there was the Lady Mirdath walking just
without the borders of the great wood; and beside her there walked the
clever-drest man of the Court, and she suffered his arm around her, so
that I knew they were lovers; for the Lady Mirdath had no brothers nor
any youthful men kin.

Yet, when Mirdath saw me upon the road, she shamed in a moment to be so
caught; for she put her lover's arm from about her, and bowed to me, a
little changed of colour in the face; and I bowed very low--being but a
young man myself--; and so passed on, with my heart very dead in me. And
as I went, I saw that her lover came again to her, and had his arm once
more about her; and so, maybe, they looked after me, as I went very
stiff and desperate; but, indeed, I looked not back on them, as you may
think.

And for a great month then, I went not near to the gap; for my love
raged in me, and I was hurt in my pride; and, truly, neither had a true