happened." So he sank back again, and for a while no one spoke; till
Giles said at last:

"Once in full daylight I saw a vision, while I was waking, while the eyes
of men were upon me; long ago on the afternoon of a thunderous summer
day, I sat alone in my fair garden near the city; for on that day a
mighty reward was to be given to the brave man who had saved us all,
leading us so mightily in that battle a few days back; now the very
queen, the lady of the land, whom all men reverenced almost as the Virgin
Mother, so kind and good and beautiful she was, was to crown him with
flowers and gird a sword about him; after the 'Te Deum' had been sung for
the victory, and almost all the city were at that time either in the
Church, or hard by it, or else were by the hill that was near the river
where the crowning was to be: but I sat alone in the garden of my house
as I said; sat grieving for the loss of my brave brother, who was slain
by my side in that same fight. I sat beneath an elm tree; and as I sat
and pondered on that still, windless day, I heard suddenly a breath of
air rustle through the boughs of the elm. I looked up, and my heart
almost stopped beating, I knew not why, as I watched the path of that
breeze over the bowing lilies and the rushes by the fountain; but when I
looked to the place whence the breeze had come, I became all at once
aware of an appearance that told me why my heart stopped beating. Ah!
there they were, those two whom before I had but seen in dreams by night,
now before my waking eyes in broad daylight. One, a knight (for so he
seemed), with long hair mingled with golden threads, flowing over his
mail-coat, and a bright crestless helmet on his head, his face
sad-looking, but calm; and by his side, but not touching him, walked a
wondrously fair maiden, clad in white, her eyelids just shadowing her
blue eyes: her arms and hands seeming to float along with her as she
moved on quickly, yet very softly; great rest on them both, though sorrow