The Night Land Read online

  Produced by Suzanne Shell, Maria Khomenko and PG Distributed Proofreaders

  THE NIGHT LAND

  WILLIAM HOPE HODGSON

  1912

  THE DREAMS THAT ARE ONLY DREAMS

  "This to be Love, that your spirit to live in a natural holiness withthe Beloved, and your bodies to be a sweet and natural delight thatshall be never lost of a lovely mystery.... And shame to be unborn, andall things to go wholesome and proper, out of an utter greatness ofunderstanding; and the Man to be an Hero and a Child before the Woman;and the Woman to be an Holy Light of the Spirit and an Utter Companionand in the same time a glad Possession unto the Man.... And this doth beHuman Love...."

  "...for this to be the especial glory of Love, that it doth make untoall Sweetness and Greatness, and doth be a fire burning all Littleness;so that did all in this world to have met The Beloved, then didWantonness be dead, and there to grow Gladness and Charity, dancing inthe years."

  I

  MIRDATH THE BEAUTIFUL

  "And I cannot touch her face And I cannot touch her hair, And I kneel to empty shadows-- Just memories of her grace; And her voice sings in the winds And in the sobs of dawn And among the flowers at night And from the brooks at sunrise And from the sea at sunset, And I answer with vain callings ..."

  It was the Joy of the Sunset that brought us to speech. I was gone along way from my house, walking lonely-wise, and stopping often that Iview the piling upward of the Battlements of Evening, and to feel thedear and strange gathering of the Dusk come over all the world about me.

  The last time that I paused, I was truly lost in a solemn joy of theGlory of the Coming Night; and maybe I laughed a little in my throat,standing there alone in the midst of the Dusk upon the World. And, lo!my content was answered out of the trees that bounded the country roadupon my right; and it was so as that some one had said: "And thou also!"in glad understanding, that I laughed again a little in my throat; asthough I had only a half-believing that any true human did answer mylaugh; but rather some sweet Delusion or Spirit that was tuned to mymood.

  But she spoke and called me by my name; and when I had gone to the sideof the road, that I should see her somewhat, and discover whether I knewher, I saw that she was surely that lady, who for her beauty was knownthrough all of that sweet County of Kent as Lady Mirdath the Beautiful;and a near neighbour to me; for the Estates of her Guardian aboundedupon mine.

  Yet, until that time, I had never met her; for I had been so oft andlong abroad; and so much given to my Studies and my Exercises when athome, that I had no further Knowledge of her than Rumour gave to me oddtime; and for the rest, I was well content; for as I have given hint, mybooks held me, and likewise my Exercises; for I was always an athlete,and never met the man so quick or so strong as I did be; save in somefiction of a tale or in the mouth of a boaster.

  Now, I stood instantly with my hat in my hand; and answered her gentlebantering so well as I might, the while that I peered intent andwondering at her through the gloom; for truly Rumour had told no tale toequal the beauty of this strange maid; who now stood jesting with sosweet a spirit, and claiming kinship of Cousinhood with me, as wastruth, now that I did wake to think.

  And, truly, she made no ado; but named me frank by my lad's name, andgave laughter and right to me to name her Mirdath, and nothing less ormore--at that time. And she bid me then to come up through the hedge,and make use of a gap that was her own especial secret, as sheconfessed, when she took odd leave with her maid to some country frolic,drest as village maids; but not to deceive many, as I dare believe.

  And I came up through the gap in the hedge and stood beside her; andtall she had seemed to me, when I looked up at her; and tall she was, intruth; but indeed I was a great head taller. And she invited me then towalk with her to the house, that I meet her Guardian and give word to mysorrow that I had so long neglected to make call upon them; and trulyher eyes to shine with mischief and delight, as she named me so for myamissness.

  But, indeed, she grew sober in a moment, and she set up her finger to meto hush, as that she heard somewhat in the wood that lay all the wayupon our right. And, indeed, something I heard too; for there was surelya rustling of the leaves, and anon a dead twig crackt with a sound clearand sharp in the stillness.

  And immediately there came three men running out of the wood at me; andI called to them sharply to keep off or beware of harm; and I put themaid to my back with my left hand, and had my oak staff ready for myuse.

  But the three men gave out no word of reply; but ran in at me; and I sawsomewhat of the gleam of knives; and at that, I moved very glad andbrisk to the attack; and behind me there went shrill and sweet, the callof a silver whistle; for the Maid was whistling for her dogs; and maybethe call was also a signal to the men-servants of her house.

  Yet, truly, there was no use in help that was yet to come; for the needdid be then and instant; and I nowise loath to use my strength beforemy sweet cousin. And I stepped forward, briskly, as I have told; andthe end of my staff I drove into the body of the left-ward man, so thathe dropped like a dead man. And I hit very sharply at the head ofanother, and surely crackt it for him; for he made instantly upon theearth; but the third man I met with my fist, and neither had he anygreat need of a second blow; but went instant to join his companions,and the fight thus to have ended before it was even proper begun, and Ilaughing a little with a proper pride, to know the bewilderment that Iperceived in the way that the Lady Mirdath, my cousin, stood andregarded me through the dusk of the hushed even.

  But, indeed, there was no time left to us, before there came boundingup, three great boar-hounds, that had been loosed to her whistle; andshe had some ado to keep the brutes off me; and I then to beat them offthe men upon the earth, lest they maul them as they lay. And directly,there was a noise of men shouting, and the light of lanthorns in thenight, and the footmen of the house to come running with lanthorns andcudgels; and knew not whether to deal with me, or not, in the firstmoment, even as the dogs; but when they saw the men upon the ground, andlearned my name and saw me proper, they kept well their distance and hadno lack of respect; but, indeed, my sweet cousin to have the most ofany; only that she showed no intent to keep distance of me; but to havea new and deeper feeling of kinship than she at first had shown.

  And the men-servants asked what should be done with the foot-pads;seeing that they were now recovering. But, indeed, I left the matter,along with some silver, to the servants; and very sound justice theydealt out to the men; for I heard their cries a good while after we hadgone away.

  Now, when we were come up to the Hall, my cousin must take me in to herGuardian, Sir Alfred Jarles, an old man and venerable that I knew alittle in passing and because our estates abounded. And she praised meto my face, yet quaintly-wise; and the old man, her Guardian thanked memost honourably and with a nice courtesy; so that I was a welcomehouse-friend from that time onward.

  And I stayed all that evening, and dined, and afterward went out againinto the home-grounds with the Lady Mirdath; and she more friendly to methan ever any woman had been; and seemed to me as that she had known mealways. And, truly, I had the same feeling in my heart towards her; forit was, somehow, as though we knew each the way and turn of the other,and had a constant delight to find this thing and that thing to be incommon; but no surprise; save that so pleasant a truth had so natural adiscovery.

  And one thing there was that I perceived held the Lady Mirdath all thatdear fore-night; and this was, indeed, the way that I had my pleasure soeasy with the three foot-pads. And she asked me plainly whether I wasnot truly very strong; and when I laughed with young and natural pride,she caught my arm suddenly to discover for herself how strong I mightbe. And, surely, she loosed it even the more
sudden, and with a littlegasping of astonishment, because it was so great and hard. Andafterward, she walked by me very silent, and seeming thoughtful; but shewent never any great way off from me.

  And, truly, if the Lady Mirdath had a strange pleasure in my strength, Ihad likewise a constant wonder and marvel in her beauty, that had shownbut the more lovely in the candle-light at dinner.

  But there were further delights to me in the days that came; for I hadhappiness in the way that she had pleasure of the Mystery of theEvening, and the Glamour of Night, and the Joy of Dawn, and allsuchlike.

  And one evening, that I ever remember, as we wandered in the park-lands,she began to say--half unthinking--that it was truly an elves-night. Andshe stopped herself immediately; as though she thought I should have nounderstanding; but, indeed, I was upon mine own familiar ground ofinward delight; and I replied in a quiet and usual voice, that theTowers of Sleep would grow that night, and I felt in my bones that itwas a night to find the Giant's Tomb, or the Tree with the Great PaintedHead, or--And surely I stopped very sudden; for she gripped me in thatmoment, and her hand shook as she held me; but when I would ask her whatailed, she bid me, very breathless, to say on, to say on. And, with ahalf understanding, I told her that I had but meant to speak of the MoonGarden, that was an olden and happy fancy of mine.

  And, in verity, when I said that, the Lady Mirdath cried out somethingin a strange low voice, and brought me to a halt, that she might faceme. And she questioned me very earnest; and I answered just so earnestas she; for I was grown suddenly to an excitement, in that I perceivedshe knew also. And, in verity, she told me that she had knowledge; buthad thought that she was alone in the world with her knowledge of thatstrange land of her dreams; and now to find that I also had travelled inthose dear, strange dream lands. And truly the marvel of it--the marvelof it! As she to say time and oft. And again, as we walked, she gave outword that there was little wonder she had been urged to call to me thatnight, as she saw me pause upon the road; though, indeed, she hadlearned of our cousin-ship before, having seen me go by on my horsepretty oft, and inquired concerning me; and mayhap daintily irked that Ihad so little heed of Lady Mirdath the Beautiful. But, indeed, I hadthought of other matters; yet had been human enough, had I but met herproper before I see her.

  Now you must not think that I was not utter stirred by the wonder ofthis thing, that we had both a dreamful knowledge of the same matters,of which each had thought none other knew. Yet, when I questioned more,there was much that had been in my fancies that was foreign to her, andlikewise much that had been familiar to her, that was of no meaning tome. But though there was this, that brought a little regret to us, therewould be, time and again, some new thing that one told, that the otherknew and could finish the telling of, to the gladness and amazement ofboth.

  And so shall you picture us wandering and having constant speech, sothat, hour by hour, we grew gladly aged in dear knowledge and sweetfriendship of the other.

  And truly, how the time passed, I know not; but there came presently ahullabaloo, and the shouts of men's voices and the baying of dogs, andthe gleam of lanthorns, so that I knew not what to think; until, verysudden, and with a sweet and strange little laughter, the Lady Mirdathto perceive that we had missed the hours utter in our converse; so thather Guardian (made uneasy because of the three foot-pads) had ordered asearch. And we all that time a-wander together in happy forgetfulness.

  And we turned homeward, then, and came towards the lights; but indeed,the dogs found us before we were come there; and they had grown to knowme now, and leaped about me, barking very friendly; and so in a minutethe men had discovered us, and were gone back to tell Sir Jarles thatall was well.

  And this was the way of our meeting and the growing of our acquaintance,and the beginning of my great love for Mirdath the Beautiful.

  Now, from that time onward, evening by evening would I go a-wander alongthe quiet and country road that led from my estate to the estate of SirJarles. And always I went inward by the hedge-gap; and oft I should findthe Lady Mirdath walking in that part of the woods; but always with hergreat boar-hounds about her; for I had begged that she do this thing forher sweet safety; and she to seem wishful to pleasure me; but truly tobe just so oft utter perverse in diverse matters; and to strive toplague me, as though she would discover how much I would endure and howfar she might go to anger me.

  And, truly, well I remember how that one night, coming to the hedge-gap,I saw two country-maids come thence out from the woods of Sir Jarles';but they were naught to me, and I would have gone upward through thegap, as ever; only that, as they passed me, they curtseyed somewhatover-graceful for rough wenches. And I had a sudden thought, and came upto them to see them more anigh; and truly I thought the taller wassurely the Lady Mirdath. But, indeed, I could not be sure; for when Iasked who she did be, she only to simper and to curtsey again; and sowas I very natural all in doubt; but yet sufficient in wonder (havingsome knowledge of the Lady Mirdath) to follow the wenches, the which Idid.

  And they then, very speedy and sedate, as though I were some rack-rapethat they did well to be feared of alone at night; and so came at lastto the village green, where a great dance was a-foot, with torches, anda wandering fiddler to set the tune; and ale in plenty.

  And the two to join the dance, and danced very hearty; but had only eachthe other for a partner, and had a good care to avoid the torches. Andby this, I was pretty sure that they were truly the Lady Mirdath and hermaid; and so I took chance when they had danced somewhat my way, to stepover to them, and ask boldly for a dance. But, indeed, the tall oneanswered, simpering, that she was promised; and immediately gave herhand to a great hulking farmer-lout, and went round the green with him;and well punished she was for her waywardness; for she had all her skillto save her pretty feet from his loutish stampings; and very glad shewas to meet the end of the dance.

  And I knew now for certainty that it was Mirdath the Beautiful, despiteher plan of disguise, and the darkness and the wench's dress and thefoot-gear that marred her step so great. And I walked across to her, andnamed her, whispering, by name; and gave her plain word to be done ofthis unwisdom, and I would take her home. But she to turn from me, andshe stamped her foot, and went again to the lout; and when she hadsuffered another dance with him, she bid him be her escort a part of theway; the which he was nothing loath of.

  And another lad, that was mate to him, went likewise; and in a moment,so soon as they were gone away from the light of the torches, the roughhind-lads made to set their arms about the waists of the two wenches,not wetting who they had for companions. And the Lady Mirdath was nolonger able to endure, and cried out in her sudden fear and disgust, andstruck the rough hind that embraced her, so hard that he loosed her amoment, swearing great oaths. And directly he came back to her again,and had her in a moment, to kiss her; and she, loathing him to the verydeath, beat him madly in the face with her hands; but to no end, onlythat I was close upon them. And, in that moment, she screamed my namealoud; and I caught the poor lout and hit him once, but not to harm himovermuch; yet to give him a long memory of me; and afterward I threw himinto the side of the road. But the second hind, having heard my name,loosed from the tiring-maid, and ran for his life; and, indeed, mystrength was known all about that part.

  And I caught Mirdath the Beautiful by her shoulders, and shook her verysoundly, in my anger. And afterward, I sent the maid onward; and she,having no word from her Mistress to stay, went forward a little; and inthis fashion we came at last to the hedge-gap, with the Lady Mirdathvery hushed; but yet walking anigh to me, as that she had some secretpleasure of my nearness. And I led her through the gap, and so homewardto the Hall; and there bid her good-night at a side door that she heldthe key of. And, truly, she bid me good-night in an utter quiet voice;and was almost as that she had no haste to be gone from me that night.

  Yet, when I met her on the morrow, she was full of a constant impudenceto me; so that, having her alone to myself, when the dusk was come
, Iasked her why she would never be done of her waywardness; because that Iached to have companionship of her; and, instead, she denied my need.And, at that, she was at once very gentle; and full of a sweet andwinsome understanding; and surely knew that I wished to be rested; forshe brought out her harp, and played me dear olden melodies of ourchildhood-days all that evening; and so had my love for her the moreintent and glad. And she saw me that night to the hedge-gap, having herthree great boar-hounds with her, to company her home again. But,indeed, I followed her afterwards, very silent, until I saw her safeinto the Hall; for I would not have her alone in the night; though shebelieved that I was then far away on the country road. And as she walkedwith her dogs, one or another would run back to me, to nose against mefriendly-wise; but I sent them off again very quiet; and she had noknowledge of aught; for she to go singing a love-song quietly all theway home. But whether she loved me, I could not tell; though she had anice affection for me.

  Now, on the following evening, I went somewhat early to the gap; and lo!who should be standing in the gap, talking to the Lady Mirdath; but avery clever-drest man, that had a look of the Court about him; and he,when I approached, made no way for me through the gap; but stood firm,and eyed me very insolent; so that I put out my hand, and lifted himfrom my way.

  And lo! the Lady Mirdath turned a bitterness of speech upon me that gaveme an utter pain and astonishment; so that I was assured in a momentthat she had no true love for me, or she had never striven so to put meto shame before the stranger, and named me uncouth and brutal to asmaller man. And, indeed, you shall perceive how I was in my heart inthat moment.

  And I saw that there was some seeming of justice in what the LadyMirdath said; but yet might the man have shown a better spirit; andmoreover Mirdath the Beautiful had no true call to shame me, her truefriend and cousin, before this stranger. Yet did I not stop to argue;but bowed very low to the Lady Mirdath; and afterward I bowed a littleto the man and made apology; for, indeed, he was neither great norstrong-made; and I had been better man to have shown courtesy to him; atleast in the first.

  And so, having done justice to my own respect, I turned and went on, andleft them to their happiness.

  Now, I walked then, maybe twenty good miles, before I came to my ownhome; for there was no rest in me all that night, or ever, because thatI was grown deadly in love of Mirdath the Beautiful; and all my spiritand heart and body of me pained with the dreadful loss that I was comeso sudden upon.

  And for a great week I had my walks in another direction; but in the endof that week, I must take my walk along the olden way, that I mightchance to have but a sight of My Lady. And, truly, I had all sight thatever man did need to put him in dread pain and jealousy; for, truly, asI came in view of the gap, there was the Lady Mirdath walking justwithout the borders of the great wood; and beside her there walked theclever-drest man of the Court, and she suffered his arm around her, sothat I knew they were lovers; for the Lady Mirdath had no brothers norany youthful men kin.

  Yet, when Mirdath saw me upon the road, she shamed in a moment to be socaught; for she put her lover's arm from about her, and bowed to me, alittle changed of colour in the face; and I bowed very low--being but ayoung man myself--; and so passed on, with my heart very dead in me. Andas I went, I saw that her lover came again to her, and had his arm oncemore about her; and so, maybe, they looked after me, as I went verystiff and desperate; but, indeed, I looked not back on them, as you maythink.

  And for a great month then, I went not near to the gap; for my loveraged in me, and I was hurt in my pride; and, truly, neither had a truejustice been dealt to me by the Lady Mirdath. Yet in that month, my lovewas a leaven in me, and made slowly a sweetness and a tenderness and anunderstanding that were not in me before; and truly Love and Pain doshape the Character of Man.

  And in the end of that time, I saw a little way into Life, with anunderstanding heart, and began presently to take my walks again past thegap; but truly Mirdath the Beautiful was never to my sight; though oneevening I thought she might be not a great way off; for one of her greatboar-hounds came out of the wood, and down into the road to nose againstme, very friendly, as a dog oft doth with me.

  Yet, though I waited a good time after the dog had left me, I had nosight of Mirdath, and so passed on again, with my heart heavy in me; butwithout bitterness, because of the understanding that was begun to growin my heart.

  Now, there passed two weary and lonely weeks, in which I grew sick tohave knowledge of the beautiful maid. And, truly, in the end of thattime, I made a sudden resolving that I would go in through the gap, andcome to the home-grounds about the Hall, and so maybe have some sight ofher.

  And this resolving I had one evening; and I went out immediately, andcame to the gap, and went in through the gap, and so by a long walkingto the gardens about the Hall. And, truly, when I was come there, I sawa good light of lanthorns and torches, and a great company of peopledancing; and all drest in quaint dress; so that I knew they had afestival for some cause. And there came suddenly a horrid dread into myheart that this might be the marriage-dance of the Lady Mirdath; but,indeed, this was foolishness; for I had surely heard of the marriage, ifthere had been any. And, truly, in a moment, I remembered that she wascome one-and-twenty years of age on that day, and to the end of herward-ship; and this surely to be festival in honour of the same.

  And a very bright and pretty matter it was to watch, save that I was soheavy in the heart with loneliness and longing; for the company wasgreat and gay, and the lights plentiful and set all about from thetrees; and in leaf-made arbours about the great lawn. And a great tablespread with eating matters and silver and crystal, and great lamps ofbronze and silver went all a-down one end of the lawn; and the danceconstant upon the other part.

  And surely, the Lady Mirdath to step out of the dance, very lovelydrest; yet seeming, to mine eyes, a little pale in the looming of thelights. And she to wander to a seat to rest; and, indeed, in a moment,there to be a dozen youths of the great families of the country-side, inattendance about her, making talk and laughter, and each eager for herfavour; and she very lovely in the midst of them, but yet, as I didthink, lacking of somewhat, and a little pale-seeming, as I have told;and her glance to go odd-wise beyond the groupt men about her; so that Iunderstood in a moment that her lover was not there, and she to bea-lack in the heart for him. Yet, why he was not there, I could notsuppose, save that he might have been called back to the Court.

  And, surely, as I watched the other young men about her, I burned with afierce and miserable jealousy of them; so that I could near have steptforth and plucked her out from among them, and had her to walk with mein the woods, as in the olden days, when she also had seemed near tolove. But, truly, what use to this? For it was not they who held herheart, as I saw plain; for I watched her, with an eager and lonesomeheart, and knew that it was one small man of the Court that was lover toher, as I have told.

  And I went away again then, and came not near to the gap for three greatmonths, because that I could not bear the pain of my loss; but in theend of that time, my very pain to urge me to go, and to be worse thanthe pain of not going; so that I found myself one evening in the gap,peering, very eager and shaken, across the sward that lay between thegap and the woods; for this same place to be as an holy ground to me;for there was it that first I saw Mirdath the Beautiful, and surely lostmy heart to her in that one night.

  And a great time I stayed there in the gap, waiting and watchinghopelessly. And lo! sudden there came something against me, touching mythigh very soft; and when I looked down, it was one of the boar-hounds,so that my heart leaped, near frightened; for truly My Lady was comesomewhere nigh, as I did think.

  And, as I waited, very hushed and watchful; yet with an utter beatingheart; surely I heard a faint and low singing among the trees, so uttersad. And lo! it was Mirdath singing a broken love song, and a-wanderthere in the dark alone, save for her great dogs.

  And I harked, with strange pain in me, that she did
be so in pain; and Iached to bring her ease; yet moved not, but was very still there in thegap; save that my being was all in turmoil.

  And presently, as I harked, there came a slim white figure out fromamong the trees; and the figure cried out something, and came to a quickpause, as I could see in the half-dark. And lo! in that moment, therecame a sudden and unreasoned hope into me; and I came up out of the gap,and was come to Mirdath in a moment, calling very low and passionate andeager: "Mirdath! Mirdath! Mirdath!"

  And this way I came to her; and her great dog that was with me, to boundbeside me, in thought, mayhap, that it was some game. And when I came tothe Lady Mirdath, I held out my hands to her, not knowing what I did;but only the telling of my heart that needed her so utter, and craved toease her of her pain. And lo! she put out her arms to me, and came intomine arms with a little run. And there she bode, weeping strangely; butyet with rest upon her; even as rest was come sudden and wondrous uponme.

  And sudden, she moved in mine arms, and slipt her hands to me, verydear, and held her lips up to me, like some sweet child, that I kissher; but, indeed, she was also a true woman, and in honest and dear loveof me.

  And this to be the way of our betrothal; and simple and wordless it was;yet sufficient, only that there is no sufficiency in Love.

  Now, presently, she loosed herself out of mine arms, and we walkedhomeward through the woods, very quiet, and holding hands, as childrendo. And I then in a while to ask her about the man of the Court; and shelaughed very sweet into the silence of the wood; but gave me no answer,save that I wait until we were come to the Hall.

  And when we were come there, she took me into the great hall, and made avery dainty and impudent bow, mocking me. And so made me known toanother lady, who sat there, upon her task of embroidering, which shedid very demure, and as that she had also a dainty Mischief lurking inher.

  And truly, the Lady Mirdath never to be done of naughty laughter, thatmade her dearly breathless with delight, and to sway a little, and setthe trembling of pretty sounds in her throat; and surely she must pulldown two great pistols from an arm-rack, that I fight a duel to thedeath with the lady of the embroidering, who held her face down over herwork, and shook likewise with the wickedness of her laughter that shecould not hide.

  And in the end, the Lady of the Embroidering looked up sudden into myface; and I then to see somewhat of the mischief in a moment; for shehad the face of the man of the Court suit, that had been lover toMirdath.

  And the Lady Mirdath then to explain to me how that Mistress Alison(which was her name) was a dear and bosom friend, and she it was thathad been drest in the Court suit to play a prank for a wager with acertain young man who would be lover to her, an he might. And I then tocome along, and so speedy to offence that truly I never saw her faceplain, because that I was so utter jealous. And so the Lady Mirdath hadbeen more justly in anger than I supposed, because that I had put handsupon her friend, as I have told.

  And this to be all of it, save that they had planned to punish me, andhad met every evening at the gap, to play at lovers, perchance I shouldpass, so that I should have greater cause for my jealousy, and trulythey to have a good revenge upon me; for I had suffered very great along while because of it.

  Yet, as you do mind, when I came upon them, the Lady Mirdath had ahalf-regret, that was very natural, because even then she was in love ofme, as I of her; and because of this, she drew away, as you shallremember, being--as she confessed--suddenly and strangely troubled andto want me; but afterwards as much set again to my punishment, becausethat I bowed so cold and went away. And indeed well I might.

  Yet, truly, all was safe ended now, and I utter thankful and with a maddelight in the heart; so that I caught up Mirdath, and we danced veryslow and stately around the great hall, the while that Mistress Alisonwhistled us a tune with her mouth, which she could very clever, as manyanother thing, I wot.

  And each day and all day after this Gladness, Mirdath and I could neverbe apart; but must go a-wander always together, here and there, in anunending joy of our togetherness.

  And in a thousand things were we at one in delight; for we had both ofus that nature which doth love the blue of eternity which gathers beyondthe wings of the sunset; and the invisible sound of the starlightfalling upon the world; and the quiet of grey evenings when the Towersof Sleep are builded unto the mystery of the Dusk; and the solemn greenof strange pastures in the moonlight; and the speech of the sycamoreunto the beech; and the slow way of the sea when it doth mood; and thesoft rustling of the night clouds. And likewise had we eyes to see theDancer of the Sunset, casting her mighty robes so strange; and ears toknow that there shakes a silent thunder over the Face of Dawn; and muchelse that we knew and saw and understood together in our utter joy.

  Now, there happened to us about this time a certain adventure that camenear to cause the death of Mirdath the Beautiful; for one day as wewandered, as ever, like two children in our contentment, I made remarkto Mirdath that there went only two of the great boar-hounds with us;and she then told me that the third was to the kennels, being sick.

  Yet, scarce had she told me so much; ere she cried out something andpointed; and lo! I saw that the third hound came towards us, at a run,yet very strange-seeming in his going. And in a moment, Mirdath criedout that the hound was mad; and truly, I saw then that the bruteslavered as he came running.

  And in a moment he was upon us, and made never a sound; but leaped at mein one instant of time; all before I had any thought of such intent. Butsurely, My Beautiful One had a dreadful love for me, for she castherself at the dog, to save me, calling to the other hounds. And she wasbitten in a moment by the brute, as she strove to hold him off from me.But I to have him instant by the neck and the body, and brake him, sothat he died at once; and I cast him to the earth, and gave help toMirdath, that I draw the poison from the wounds.

  And this I did so well as I might, despite that she would have me stop.And afterwards, I took her into mine arms, and ran very fierce all thelong and weary way to the Hall, and with hot skewers I burned thewounds; so that when the doctor came, he to say I have saved her by mycare, if indeed she to be saved. But, truly, she had saved me in anywise, as you shall think; so that I could never be done of honour toher.

  And she very pale; but yet to laugh at my fears, and to say that shesoon to have her health, and the wounds healed very speedy; but, indeed,it was a long and bitter time before they were proper healed, and she sowell as ever. Yet, in time, so it was; and an utter weight off my heart.

  And when Mirdath was grown full strong again, we set our wedding day.And well do I mind how she stood there in her bridal dress, on that day,so slender and lovely as may Love have stood in the Dawn of Life; andthe beauty of her eyes that had such sober sweetness in them, despitethe dear mischief of her nature; and the way of her little feet, and theloveliness of her hair; and the dainty rogue-grace of her movements; andher mouth an enticement, as that a child and a woman smiled out of theone face. And this to be no more than but an hint of the loveliness ofMy Beautiful One.

  And so we were married.

  Mirdath, My Beautiful One, lay dying, and I had no power to hold Deathbackward from such dread intent. In another room, I heard the littlewail of the child; and the wail of the child waked my wife back intothis life, so that her hands fluttered white and desperately needfulupon the coverlid.

  I kneeled beside My Beautiful One, and reached out and took her handsvery gentle into mine; but still they fluttered so needful; and shelooked at me, dumbly; but her eyes beseeching.

  Then I went out of the room, and called gently to the Nurse; and theNurse brought in the child, wrapped very softly in a long, white robe.And I saw the eyes of My Beautiful One grow clearer with a strange,lovely light; and I beckoned to the Nurse to bring the babe near.

  My wife moved her hands very weakly upon the coverlid, and I knew thatshe craved to touch her child; and I signed to the Nurse, and took mychild in mine arms; and the Nurse went out from the room, an
d so wethree were alone together.

  Then I sat very gentle upon the bed; and I held the babe near to MyBeautiful One, so that the wee cheek of the babe touched the white cheekof my dying wife; but the weight of the child I kept off from her.

  And presently, I knew that Mirdath, My Wife, strove dumbly to reach forthe hands of the babe; and I turned the child more towards her, andslipped the hands of the child into the weak hands of My Beautiful One.And I held the babe above my wife, with an utter care; so that the eyesof my dying One, looked into the young eyes of the child. And presently,in but a few moments of time; though it had been someways an eternity,My Beautiful One closed her eyes and lay very quiet. And I took away thechild to the Nurse, who stood beyond the door. And I closed the door,and came back to Mine Own, that we have those last instants alonetogether.

  And the hands of my wife lay very still and white; but presently theybegan to move softly and weakly, searching for somewhat; and I put outmy great hands to her, and took her hands with an utter care; and so alittle time passed.

  Then her eyes opened, quiet and grey, and a little dazed seeming; andshe rolled her head on the pillow and saw me; and the pain offorgetfulness went out of her eyes, and she looked at me with a lookthat grew in strength, unto a sweetness of tenderness and fullunderstanding.

  And I bent a little to her; and her eyes told me to take her into minearms for those last minutes. Then I went very gentle upon the bed, andlifted her with an utter and tender care, so that she lay suddenlystrangely restful against my breast; for Love gave me skill to hold her,and Love gave My Beautiful One a sweetness of ease in that little timethat was left to us.

  And so we twain were together; and Love seemed that it had made a trucewith Death in the air about us, that we be undisturbed; for there came adrowse of rest even upon my tense heart, that had known nothing but adreadful pain through the weary hours.

  And I whispered my love silently to My Beautiful One, and her eyesanswered; and the strangely beautiful and terrible moments passed byinto the hush of eternity.

  And suddenly, Mirdath My Beautiful One, spoke,--whispering something.And I stooped gently to hark; and Mine Own spoke again; and lo! it wasto call me by the olden Love Name that had been mine through all theutter lovely months of our togetherness.

  And I began again to tell her of my love, that should pass beyond death;and lo! in that one moment of time, the light went out of her eyes; andMy Beautiful One lay dead in mine arms ... My Beautiful One....