"You would see some one play the hero. Who knows but that a bastard may save a kingdom." Mark moved on down the path, stopping now and again to watch the ship at sea; Jehan followed at his heels. They reached the beach, and saw the waves rolling in on them from the west, with the white belly of a sail showing over the water. Mark made no further tarrying in the matter. Standing on a stretch of sand levelled smooth by the water, he traced a cross thereon with the point of his spear. "Swear by the cross." Jehan's face was turned to the man's, eager and enquiring. "To whom shall I swear troth?" he said. "To Gorlois's wife." "Ah!" "And to the King." "The King!" Jehan crossed himself with great good-will. "By the blood of the Lord Jesu, I swear troth." They went down close to the waste of waters, and let the spume sweep almost to their feet. A vast blue bank of clouds mountained the far west; the sea seemed deep in colour as an amethyst. Gulls were winging and wailing about the cliffs. Tintagel stood out in its strength against the sky, and they could see the waves white upon its rocks. Mark took the ring Malmain had given him from a pouch at his belt, and held the gold circle before the lad's eyes. "From the hand of Gorlois's wife," he said. Jehan nodded. "This ring was given her by that Pelleas." "Yes." "Who is Uther Pendragon, the King." Jehan's blue eyes seemed to dilate till they looked strangely large in his thin white face. "The King!" he said, in a kind of whisper. Mark made all plain to him in a few words. "The Lady Igraine loved Pelleas, as well she might, not knowing him to be Ambrosius's brother. It was this same great love that brought her in peril of Gorlois's sword. It is this same love that draws her down to her death--there in Tintagel. Uther Pendragon is at Caerleon; her hope is with him. You, Jehan, shall carry word of this to the King." The lad's heart was beating like the heart of a giant. The world seemed to expand about him, to grow luminous with the glory of great deeds; he had the braying of a hundred trumpets in his ears. He heard swords ring, saw banners blow, and towers topple like smitten trees. "I am the King's servant," he said. "You have sworn troth; so be it. You shall go to the King, to Uther Pendragon, at Caerleon. Tell him you had this ring from a soldier, bribed to deliver it by the Lady Igraine. Tell him the evil that is done to her in the castle of Tintagel. Tell him all--withhold nothing." Jehan flushed to the temples; his lips moved, but no words came from them. He stood stiff and erect, looking out to sea, following with his eyes the sweep of Mark's spear. "I am the King's servant," he said.