hooked nose, and the yellow-leaved, worm-eaten books--of magic: all
doubts were now removed--that for hours he would sit poring over
through owlish gold-rimmed spectacles!

Victor's French was coming back to him. He was anxious to know if
Malvina had ever met Sir Launcelot--"to talk to."

A little cloud gathered upon Malvina's face. Yes, she had known
them all: King Uthur and Igraine and Sir Ulfias of the Isles.
Talked with them, walked with them in the fair lands of France. (It
ought to have been England, but Malvina shook her head. Maybe they
had travelled.) It was she who had saved Sir Tristram from the
wiles of Morgan le Fay. "Though that, of course," explained
Malvina, "was never known."

The twins were curious why it should have been "of course," but did
not like to interrupt again. There were others before and after.
Most of them the twins had never heard of until they came to
Charlemagne, beyond which Malvina's reminiscences appeared to fade.

They had all of them been very courteous to her, and some of them
indeed quite charming. But . . .

One gathers they had never been to Malvina more than mere
acquaintances, such as one passes the time with while waiting--and
longing.

"But you liked Sir Launcelot," urged Victor. He was wishful that
Malvina should admire Sir Launcelot, feeling how much there was in
common between that early lamented knight and himself. That little