had so little heed of Lady Mirdath the Beautiful. But, indeed, I had
thought of other matters; yet had been human enough, had I but met her
proper before I see her.

Now you must not think that I was not utter stirred by the wonder of
this thing, that we had both a dreamful knowledge of the same matters,
of which each had thought none other knew. Yet, when I questioned more,
there was much that had been in my fancies that was foreign to her, and
likewise much that had been familiar to her, that was of no meaning to
me. But though there was this, that brought a little regret to us, there
would be, time and again, some new thing that one told, that the other
knew and could finish the telling of, to the gladness and amazement of
both.

And so shall you picture us wandering and having constant speech, so
that, hour by hour, we grew gladly aged in dear knowledge and sweet
friendship of the other.

And truly, how the time passed, I know not; but there came presently a
hullabaloo, and the shouts of men's voices and the baying of dogs, and
the gleam of lanthorns, so that I knew not what to think; until, very
sudden, and with a sweet and strange little laughter, the Lady Mirdath
to perceive that we had missed the hours utter in our converse; so that
her Guardian (made uneasy because of the three foot-pads) had ordered a
search. And we all that time a-wander together in happy forgetfulness.

And we turned homeward, then, and came towards the lights; but indeed,
the dogs found us before we were come there; and they had grown to know
me now, and leaped about me, barking very friendly; and so in a minute
the men had discovered us, and were gone back to tell Sir Jarles that