On they sped with loosened rein, o'er grassy mead, through ferny hollows,
o'erleaping chattering rill that babbled to the moon, 'mid swaying reeds
and whispering sedge, past crouching bush and stately tree, and so at last
they reached the woods. By shadowy brake and thicket, through pools of
radiant moonlight, through leafy, whispering glooms they held their way,
across broad glade and clearing, on and on until all noise of pursuit was
lost and nought was to hear save the sounds of their going.
Thus rode they, and with never a word betwixt them, deep and deeper into
the wild until the moon was down and darkness shut them in; wherefore
Jocelyn drew rein and sat a while to listen. He heard the good steed,
deep-breathing, snuff at dewy grass; a stir and rustle all about him; the
drowsy call of a bird afar; the soft ripple of water hard by and, over all,
the deep hush of the wild-wood. Then upon this hush stole a whisper:
"O, 'tis very dark!"
He: Dark, Lady? Why so 'tis, and yet 'tis natural, for 'tis night,
wherefore 'tis the bright god Phoebus is otherwhere, and Dian, sly-sweet
goddess, hath stole her light from heaven, wherefore 'tis 'tis dark, lady.
Pages:
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276