FOREST LOVE
With the sun rose Isoult, transfigured and glorified, Love"s rosy priest. She slipped from her man"s arms, hung over him wonderfully, lightly kissed his forehead without disturbing his deep sleep. Then she went to bathe herself in the pool, and to bind up her hair. The woodland was jewelled with dew, it went in misty green and yellow, all vocal of the joy she had. She was loved! she was loved!
Fresh and full of light she came dancing back, without a trace of the haggard beauty upon her which had stolen about the ways of Holy Thorn.
Her mouth had the divine childishness, the rippling curves of the naked G.o.d"s bow; her eyes were glossy-soft and rayed a light from within. Warm arms stole round Prosper, a warm cheek was by his, warm lips kissed him awake. The duet, as of two low-answering doves, began--
"Is this Isoult la Desirous who cometh?"
"You called me Desiree."
"How long sought, how long prayed for!"
"Found now, and close at last."
"Closer yet, closer yet."
"Oh heart, oh desire! Prosper!"
"Yes."
"Tell me one thing."
"Ask."
"When began you to think of me?"
"Will you put me to shame, Isoult?"
"Never, never! There is no shame in you. Look what I am."
"The purest, the loveliest, the bride of all delight!"
"You are a great lord; and I----"
"The great lord"s lady--out of his reach."
"Prosper! No, no. If I am out of reach, reach not for me. Tell me instead what I ask you."
"But you know when I began, and what you said."
"Ah, it was then?"
"No, it was not then. It was after that. It was when I knew that you loved me."
"Did you not know from the first? Oh, what men must be! And I called-- as I was called."
"La Desirous? Ah, yes. Tell me now why that was?"
"Yes, I will tell you now." She hid her face on his breast and whispered her story. "I was twelve years old--a sheepgirl on Marbery Down. There are many, many herds there, and five of us that kept them that day, huddling together to be warm. For I was cold enough--in rags as you have seen me, but worse; my shoulder and side went bare then.
Then there came riding over the brow a company of lords having falcons on their wrists; and I stood up to watch them fly their birds. There was an old man, tall and very n.o.ble, with white hair and beard, and a brown keen face; and there were others, young men, and one was a lad, his son. The lad it was who flew his bird at a heron. The falcon shot up into the air; she towered over my head where I stood, and after stooped and fell upon me, and clung to my raiment, pecking at my heart. And I cried out at the sharpness of the pain, and wrestled with the falcon to get her off me, but could not for the battling of her sails. Then the lad, the owner of the hawk, rode up to me and took away the bird and killed her. He was a ruddy lad, with the bright blue eyes of his father; but his hair was long and yellow as gold. To me he gave money, and what was dearer than money and rarer, gentle words.
For he said--"Maiden, my haggard hath done thee a wrong, and I through her. But when I am a man I will amend it." Now the wound over my heart kept fresh and could never be healed; and I was thought shameful for that, because men said I went bleeding for love. And G.o.d knows it was a true saying."
"Oh, Isoult, was it true, was it true? For that old man was my father, and the lad was I."
Said Isoult--
"Ah, when thou didst ride into the quarry and foundest me with Galors there, I knew thee again; and when thou didst wed me the wound stayed bleeding, but remained fresh. But now--now it is healed."
They turned their lips to each other and murmured comfort with kisses.
"By the Lord," cried he, "I could eat a meal."
"O greedy one, I will put you to shame. All my desire is to take G.o.d"s body. For I know that we have had no marriage-ma.s.s."
"That is a true saying. But the Host is harder to come by. There is a place in Morgraunt, nevertheless, where you may hear Ma.s.s and break good bread after. I have been there, but not from here."
"But I have been there too, Prosper, and from here, or near here. I remember. I know the road."
"Come then, lead me, my bride."
She armed her lord, being now entered into her old self, radiant, softly fair, guarded, and demure. He also was the man of her choosing, invincibly lord. They found their beasts near by and were soon on the way, with their pale trophy hidden in a cloth.
Ma.s.s was said by the time they reached the yew-tree close, and saw the shrine and image of Saint Lucy of the Eyes. Alice of the Hermitage came out into the open, shading her face against the sun. Prosper she remembered not, but when she saw Isoult she gave a little cry. The two girls were in each other"s arms in no time.
"Oh, you!"
"Yes, yes, I have come back. And you know me like this?"
"I would know you anywhere, by what you can never cut off"
"Now you must know my lord," said Isoult with a great heart.
Prosper came up.
"Ah, damsel," says he, "you sped me into your forest, and so sped me to my happiness in spite of myself. Have you forgotten the white bird?
Look again and tell me if I have redeemed the quest."
"Ah, ah," said glowing Alice, "now I remember my dream of the bird. Is this possible?"
She looked at Isoult. Isoult blushed; but she was all for blushing just now.
"If it is true," Alice continued, "you make me very happy. Now let me serve you."
"You shall," said Prosper. "Pray give us something to eat."
"Alice," said Isoult, "it was my lord who taught me how to pray--to Mother Mary and Saint Isidore. We have had no marriage-ma.s.s."
"Ah, that is serious. You are not yet wedded then?"