The Well at the World's End: A TaleMorris, William
Science
The Well at the World's End: A Tale
Morris, William
Fantasy fiction; Quests (Expeditions) -- Fiction
But when all was done to make the wounded knight as easy as might be,
the Lady turned to the other twain, and said kindly: "Now, lords, it
were good to get to table, since here is wherewithal." And she looked
on them both full kindly as she spake the words, but nowise wantonly;
even as the lady of a fair house might do by honoured guests. So the
hearts of both were cheered, and nothing loth they sat down by her on
the grass and fell to meat. Yet was the Knight of the Sun a little
moody for a while, but when he had eaten and drunken somewhat, he said:
"It were well if someone might come hereby, some hermit or holy man, to
whom we might give the care of Walter: then might we home to Sunway,
and send folk with a litter to fetch him home softly when the due time
were."
"Yea," said the Lady, "that might happen forsooth, and perchance it
will; and if it were before nightfall it were better."
Ralph saw that as she spake she took hold of the two fingers of her
left hand with her right forefinger, and let the thumb meet it, so that
it made a circle about them, and she spake something therewith in a low
voice, but he heeded it little, save as he did all ways that her body
moved. As for the Knight of the Sun, he was looking down on the grass
as one pondering matters, and noted this not. But he said presently:
"What hast thou to say of Walter now? Shall he live?" "Yea," she
said, "maybe as long as either of you twain." The knight looked hard at
Ralph, but said nothing, and Ralph heeded not his looks, for his eyes
were busy devouring the Lady.
So they abode a little, and the more part of what talk there was came
from the Lady, and she was chiefly asking Ralph of his home in Upmeads,
and his brethren and kindred, and he told her all openly, and hid
naught, while her voice ravished his very soul from him, and it seemed
strange to him, that such an one should hold him in talk concerning
these simple matters and familiar haps, and look on him so kindly and
simply. Ever and anon would she go and look to the welfare of the
wounded man, and come back from him (for they sat a little way aloof),
and tell them how he did. And still the Knight of the Sun took little
heed, and once again gloom settled down on him.
Amidst all this the sun was set, and the long water lay beneath the
heavens like a sheet of bright, fair-hued metal, and naught stirred it:
till at last the Lady leaned forward to Ralph, and touched his shoulder
(for he was sitting over against her, with his back to the water), and
she said: "Sir Knight, Sir Knight, his wish is coming about, I believe
verily." He turned his head to look over his shoulder, and, as if by
chance-hap, his cheek met the outstretched hand she was pointing with:
she drew it not away very speedily, and as sweet to him was the touch
of it as if his face had been brushed past by a summer lily.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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