Story and Song of Black Roderick | Page 5

saw her no more."
"What didst thou tell to her, old witch?" quoth the Black Earl, "as she passed weeping? Didst thou speak to her no word?"
"I stopped her as she passed me, proud Earl," quoth the crone, "for she was gentle, and held her head not too high to look upon one old and near unto death.
"'Weep not,' said I, 'but spread to me thy fingers, so I may read what fate thou holdest in thy palm.' And like a child she smiled between her tears.
"'Look only on luck,' quoth she, 'oh, ancient one, lest my heart break even now.' I spread her pink fingertips out as one would unruffle a rose, and read therein her fate."
"And what read you there?" said the Black Earl, impatient with her delay.
"I read," quoth the crone, "and if I say, thou must keep thy anger from me, for what I read I had not written:
_"I traced upon her slender palm That luck was changing soon; I swore that peace would come to her Before another moon._
_"I said that he who loved her well Would robe her all in silk, And bear her in a coach of gold, With palfreys white as milk._
_"I told, before three suns had set He'd kneel down by her side; That he she loved would love her well, And she would be his bride._
"'This before three suns have set,' so read I," quoth the crone.
Now, when the Black Earl heard so much, he would hear no more. Pallid grew his angry cheek, and his eyes were full of fire; he flung himself upon his horse, and, sparing not the beast, galloped home.
"In the highest tower shall I lock the jade," quoth he, "lest she bring me shame; for what her palm had writ upon it one must believe, and who dare love her, save I who will not? And should I die, wherefore should she not be another's? And should I not die--but this no man dare, for I shall tear his tongue from his mouth, his ear from his cheek, his heart from his body, ere he speak or listen to a word to my dishonor."
Now, when he reached his castle, no man ventured to speak to him, or look upon him with too inquisitive an eye, for his anger was such that one trembled to approach him.
And at the gate of his castle sat his old love upon her palfrey, with a stern face and grim; behind her, resting upon their way, came her followers, knight and lady, gay with banner and spear, whispering in their telling of the story.
"A curse upon the wandering feet that have brought disgrace upon thy house," quoth his old love, her hand so tight upon the rein that the two pages could hardly keep the horse from rearing.
But the proud Earl to her made no answer, neither to bid her welcome, nor to bid her go, nor to speak of his fears. Into his breast he locked his grief so that none might know the strain wellnigh broke the stony casket of his heart.
When he leaped from his horse there came to him his little brother.
"My grief!" said the boy, "what has happened in the night, for I heard the banshee sobbing so bitterly through the dark?"
No answer made the Black Earl to the boy, neither did he lift him in his arms nor chide him for his weeping, but passed silent into his own chamber, and crouched within his chair. When after a time he raised his eyes, he seemed to see his young bride gazing upon him from the open door. And in his anger he sprang to seize her, but only the empty air came to his hands.
He mounted the marble stairs to her chamber to seek her there, but only found a sewing-maid, pale and deadly faint.
"Oh, sharp sorrow," quoth she, "from what I have seen this night, Mary protect me! A white ghost have I seen--evil it may bring to me--a white ghost with dim eyes of the dead!"
"Whither went she?" said the Black Earl, angry in his need.
"Into thy chamber, great Earl!" cried the maid; "I saw her at thy bed-head weeping piteously."
"It was thy lady," quoth the Earl; "lead me her way, and stop thy lamentation."
"My grief!" the girl said, "her way I know not; when I, deeming her my mistress, reached her side, she was no more. It is an evil day that cometh upon us."
Now, when the proud Roderick saw the girl so full of fear, he chid her cruelly and bade her go. Yet when she had left him he felt a strange and unwonted coldness settle upon his heart.
The anger against his young bride was quenched, and a dewlike fear grew upon him. But of what befell him I shall