"Yea," said Goldilind, "Dame Elinor to wit." And she moaned, and
But Aloyse lifted up her head, and brought her wine and made herdrink, and when Goldilind was come to herself again the maid said: "Isay, keep up thine heart, for it is not Dame Elinor and the rods that wouldsee thee, but a mighty man; nay, the most mighty, to wit, Earl Geoffrey,who is King of Meadham in all but the name."
Goldilind did in sooth take heart at this tidings, and she said: "Ifear and heart-sickness lay so heavy on her that she went nigh to swooning wonder what he may have to do here; all this while he hath not been toGreenharbour, or, mayhappen, it might have been better for me."
"I wot not," said Aloyse, "but even so it is. I shall tell thee, themessenger, whose horse thou didst steal, brought no other word in hismouth save this, that my Lord Earl was coming; and come he did; but thatwas toward sunset, long after they had laid the blood-hounds on thy slot,and I had been whipped for letting thee find the way out a-gates. Now, ourLady, when thou hast seen the Earl, and hast become our Lady andMistress indeed, wilt thou bethink thee of the morn before yesterday onmy behalf?"
"Yea," said Goldilind, "if ever it shall befall."
"Befall it shall," said Aloyse; "I dreamed of thee three nights ago, andthou sitting on thy throne commanding and forbidding the great men.But at worst no harm hath happened save to my shoulders and sides, bythy stealing thyself, since thou hast come back in the nick of time, and ofthine own will, as men say. But tell me now of thine holiday, and if itwere pleasant to thee?"