The Night Land | Page 3

had been; and seemed to me as that she had known me always. And, truly, I had the same
feeling in my heart towards her; for it 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 in
common; but no surprise; save that so pleasant a truth had so natural a discovery.
And one thing there was that I perceived held the Lady Mirdath all that dear fore-night;
and this was, indeed, the way that I had my pleasure so easy with the three foot-pads.
And she asked me plainly whether I was not truly very strong; and when I laughed with
young and natural pride, she caught my arm suddenly to discover for herself how strong I
might be. And, surely, she loosed it even the more sudden, and with a little gasping of
astonishment, because it was so great and hard. And afterward, she walked by me very
silent, and seeming thoughtful; but she went never any great way off from me.
And, truly, if the Lady Mirdath had a strange pleasure in my strength, I had likewise a
constant wonder and marvel in her beauty, that had shown but the more lovely in the
candle-light at dinner.
But there were further delights to me in the days that came; for I had happiness in the
way that she had pleasure of the Mystery of the Evening, and the Glamour of Night, and
the Joy of Dawn, and all suchlike.
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. And she stopped herself
immediately; as though she thought I should have no understanding; but, indeed, I was
upon mine own familiar ground of inward delight; and I replied in a quiet and usual voice,
that the Towers of Sleep would grow that night, and I felt in my bones that it was a night
to find the Giant's Tomb, or the Tree with the Great Painted Head, or--And surely I
stopped very sudden; for she gripped me in that moment, and her hand shook as she held
me; but when I would ask her what ailed, she bid me, very breathless, to say on, to say on.
And, with a half understanding, I told her that I had but meant to speak of the Moon

Garden, that was an olden and happy fancy of mine.
And, in verity, when I said that, the Lady Mirdath cried out something in a strange low
voice, and brought me to a halt, that she might face me. And she questioned me very
earnest; and I answered just so earnest as she; for I was grown suddenly to an excitement,
in that I perceived she knew also. And, in verity, she told me that she had knowledge; but
had thought that she was alone in the world with her knowledge of that strange land of
her dreams; and now to find that I also had travelled in those dear, strange dream lands.
And truly the marvel of it--the marvel of it! As she to say time and oft. And again, as we
walked, she gave out word that there was little wonder she had been urged to call to me
that night, as she saw me pause upon the road; though, indeed, she had learned of our
cousin-ship before, having seen me go by on my horse pretty oft, and inquired concerning
me; and mayhap daintily irked that I had so little heed of Lady Mirdath the Beautiful. But,
indeed, I had thought of other matters; yet had been human enough, had I but met her
proper before I see her.
Now you must not think that I was not utter stirred by the wonder of this 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, and likewise much that had been familiar to her, that was of no
meaning to me. But though there was this, that brought a little regret to us, there would be,
time and again, some new thing that one told, that the other knew and could finish the
telling of, to the gladness and amazement of both.
And so shall you picture us wandering and having constant speech, so that, hour by hour,
we grew gladly aged in dear knowledge and sweet friendship of the other.
And truly, how the time passed, I know not; but there came presently a hullabaloo, and
the shouts of men's voices and the baying of dogs, and the