him shone with gladness. He was a goodly man, but to Walter he seemed an ill one; and he hated him so much, that he found it no easy matter to answer him; but he refrained himself, and said: I can thee thank, King’s Son; and good it is that someone is happy in this strange land.
Art thou not happy then, Squire of my Lady? said the other.
Walter had no mind to show this man his heart, nay, nor even a corner thereof; for he deemed him an enemy. So he smiled sweetly and somewhat foolishly, as a man luckily in love, and said: O yea, yea, why should I not be so? How might I be otherwise?
Yea then, said the King’s Son, why didst thou say that thou wert glad someone is happy? Who is unhappy deemest thou? and he looked on him keenly.
Walter answered slowly: Said I so? I suppose then that I was thinking of thee; for when first I saw thee, yea, and afterwards, thou didst seem heavy-hearted and ill-content.
The face of the King’s Son cleared at this word, and he said: Yea, so it was; for look you, both ways it was: I was unfree, and I had sown the true desire of my heart whereas it waxed not. But now I am on the brink
137
