even speak to thee."

And therewith she put her hands before her face, and wept, and
murmured: "Who shall deliver me from this death in life?"

But Walter cried out: "For what else am I come hither, I, I?"

And it was a near thing that he did not take her in his arms, but he
remembered his pledged word, and drew aback from her in terror,
whereas he had an inkling of why she would not suffer it; and he
wept with her.

But suddenly the Maid left weeping, and said in a changed voice:
"Friend, whereas thou speakest of delivering me, it is more like
that I shall deliver thee. And now I pray thy pardon for thus
grieving thee with my grief, and that more especially because thou
mayst not solace thy grief with kisses and caresses; but so it was,
that for once I was smitten by the thought of the anguish of this
land, and the joy of all the world besides."

Therewith she caught her breath in a half-sob, but refrained her and
went on: "Now dear friend and darling, take good heed to all that I
shall say to thee, whereas thou must do after the teaching of my
words. And first, I deem by the monster having met thee at the
gates of the land, and refreshed thee, that the Mistress hath looked
for thy coming; nay, by thy coming hither at all, that she hath cast
her net and caught thee. Hast thou noted aught that might seem to
make this more like?"

Said Walter: "Three times in full daylight have I seen go past me