"Ha!" said Aloyse; "if thou ask me overmuch I fear thou mayst pay forit, my Lady; but this last asking thou shalt have, and then none other till allthy penance thou hast dreed. Abide!"
Therewith she went up the stairs, and Goldilind, who now was butweak with her prison and the sudden light, and the hope and fear of her purpose of bewailing her story, sat her down on the stair there, almost, asit were, 'twixt home and hell, till her heart came back to her and the tearsbegan to flow from her eyes. Forthright came back Aloyse, bearing awhite loaf and a little pitcher of milk on a silver serving-dish; she laidthem down, unlocked the door into the garden, and thrust Goldilindthrough by the shoulders; then she turned and took up her serving-dishwith the bread and milk, and handed it to Goldilind through the door, andsaid: "Now is my Lady served. It were indeed well that my Lady shouldstrengthen herself this hour for the hour next to come."
Therewith she turned about, and shut and locked the door; and theKing's daughter fell to eagerly on her bread, and thought of little till shehad eaten and drunk, save that she felt the sweet scent of the gilliflowersand eglantine as it were a part of her meal.
Then she went slowly down the garden, treading the greenswardbeside the flowers; and she looked on the hold, and the low sun gilded thewalls thereof and glittered in a window here and there, and though therewas on her a foreboding of the hours of that day, she did what she might tomake the best of the fragrant May morning and the song of birds and rustleof leaves, though, indeed, at whiles the tears would gush out of her eyeswhen she thought how young she was and how feeble, and the pity ofherself became sweet unto her.