hither?' asked the Knight. 'The Clerk of Catalonia, whom thou hast
much wronged. I will never leave thee quiet until thou hast rendered
him a just account.' 'What art thou called,' said the Knight, 'who
art so good a messenger?' 'Orthon is my name.' But it fell out
otherwise from the Clerk's intentions, for Orthon had taken a liking
to the Knight, and promised to serve him rather than the Clerk--
engaging never to disturb the Castle--for, indeed, he had no power
to do ill to any. Often did he come to the Knight's bed by night,
and pull the pillow from under his head--"

"What was he like?" asked Tristan.

"The Lord de Corasse could not tell; he only heard him--he never saw
aught; for Orthon only came by night, and, having wakened him, would
begin by saying, 'he was come from England, Hungary, or elsewhere,'
and telling all the news of the place."

"And what think you was he?"

"That was what our Lord, the Count de Foix, would fain have known,
when he had much marveled at the tidings that were brought him by
the Lord de Corasse, and had heard of the strange messenger who
brought them. He entreated the Knight to desire Orthon to show
himself in his own proper form--and then, having seen, to describe
him.

"So at night, when Orthon came again, and plucked away the pillow,
the Knight asked him from whence he came? 'From Prague, in Bohemia,'
answered Orthon. 'How far is it?'--'Sixty days' journey.' 'Hast
thou returned thence in so short a time?'--'I travel as fast as the