第 三十二 章 · OF THE NEW KING OF THE CITY AND LAND OF STARK-WALL

. OF THE NEW KING OF THE CITY AND LAND OF STARK-WALL

When he awoke again the sun was shining brightly into that chamber, and

he looked, and beheld that it was peerless of beauty and riches, amongst

all that he had ever seen: the ceiling done with gold and over-sea blue;

the walls hung with arras of the fairest, though he might not tell what

was the history done therein. The chairs and stools were of carven work

well be-painted, and amidmost was a great ivory chair under a cloth of

estate, of bawdekin of gold and green, much be-pearled; and all the floor

was of fine work alexandrine.

He looked on all this, wondering what had befallen him, when lo! there

came folk into the chamber, to wit, two serving-men well-bedight, and

three old men clad in rich gowns of silk. These came to him and (still

by signs, without speech) bade him arise and come with them; and when he

bade them look to it that he was naked, and laughed doubtfully, they

neither laughed in answer, nor offered him any raiment, but still would

have him arise, and he did so perforce. They brought him with them out

of the chamber, and through certain passages pillared and goodly, till

they came to a bath as fair as any might be; and there the serving-men

washed him carefully and tenderly, the old men looking on the while. When

it was done, still they offered not to clothe him, but led him out, and

through the passages again, back to the chamber. Only this time he must

pass between a double hedge of men, some weaponed, some in peaceful

array, but all clad gloriously, and full chieftain-like of aspect, either

for valiancy or wisdom.

In the chamber itself was now a concourse of men, of great estate by

deeming of their array; but all these were standing orderly in a ring

about the ivory chair aforesaid. Now said Walter to himself: Surely all

this looks toward the knife and the altar for me; but he kept a stout

countenance despite of all.

So they led him up to the ivory chair, and he beheld on either side

thereof a bench, and on each was laid a set of raiment from the shirt

upwards; but there was much diversity betwixt these arrays. For one was

all of robes of peace, glorious and be-gemmed, unmeet for any save a

great king; while the other was war-weed, seemly, well-fashioned, but

little adorned; nay rather, worn and bestained with weather, and the

pelting of the spear-storm.

Now those old men signed to Walter to take which of those raiments he

would, and do it on. He looked to the right and the left, and when he

had looked on the war-gear, the heart arose in him, and he called to mind

the array of the Goldings in the forefront of battle, and he made one

step toward the weapons, and laid his hand thereon. Then ran a glad

murmur through that concourse, and the old men drew up to him smiling and

joyous, and helped him to do them on; and as he took up the helm, he

noted that over its broad brown iron sat a golden crown.

So when he was clad and weaponed, girt with a sword, and a steel axe in

his hand, the elders showed him to the ivory throne, and he laid the axe

on the arm of the chair, and drew forth the sword from the scabbard, and

sat him down, and laid the ancient blade across his knees; then he looked

about on those great men, and spake: "How long shall we speak no word to

each other, or is it so that God hath stricken you dumb?"

Then all they cried out with one voice: "All hail to the King, the King

of Battle!"

Spake Walter: "If I be king, will ye do my will as I bid you?"

Answered the elder: "Nought have we will to do, lord, save as thou

biddest."

Said Walter: "Thou then, wilt thou answer a question in all truth?"

"Yea, lord," said the elder, "if I may live afterward."

Then said Walter: "The woman that came with me into your Camp of the

Mountain, what hath befallen her?"

The elder answered: "Nought hath befallen her, either of good or evil,

save that she hath slept and eaten and bathed her. What, then, is the

King's pleasure concerning her?"

"That ye bring her hither to me straightway," said Walter.

"Yea," said the elder; "and in what guise shall we bring her hither?

shall she be arrayed as a servant, or a great lady?"

Then Walter pondered a while, and spake at last: "Ask her what is her

will herein, and as she will have it, so let it be. But set ye another

chair beside mine, and lead her thereto. Thou wise old man, send one or

two to bring her in hither, but abide thou, for I have a question or two

to ask of thee yet. And ye, lords, abide here the coming of my

she-fellow, if it weary you not."

So the elder spake to three of the most honourable of the lords, and they

went their ways to bring in the Maid.