Part 52 (1/2)

All in the blue unclouded weather Thick-jewelled shone the saddle leather, The helmet and the helmet feather Burned like one burning flame together, As he rode down to Camelot.

And from his blazoned baldric slung A mighty silver bugle hung, And as he rode his armour rung As he rode down to Camelot.

JANE. I know, dear. But of course they _don't_ nowadays.

MELISANDE. And as he rides beneath my room, singing to himself, I wave one lily hand to him from my lattice, and toss him down a gage, a gage for him to wear in his helm, a rose--perhaps just a rose.

JANE (awed). No, Melisande, would you really? Wave a lily hand to him?

(She waves one) I mean, wouldn't it be rather--_you_ know. Rather forward.

MELISANDE. Forward!

JANE (upset). Well, I mean--Well, of course, I suppose it was different in those days.

MELISANDE. How else could he know that I loved him? How else could he wear my gage in his helm when he rode to battle?

JANE. Well, of course, there _is_ that.

MELISANDE. And then when he has slain his enemies in battle, he comes back to me. I knot my sheets together so as to form a rope--for I have been immured in my room--and I let myself down to him. He places me on the saddle in front of him, and we ride forth together into the world--together for always!

JANE (a little uncomfortably). You do get _married_, I suppose, darling, or do you--er--

MELISANDE. We stop at a little hermitage on the way, and a good priest marries us.

JANE (relieved.) Ah, yes.

MELISANDE. And sometimes he is not in armour. He is a prince from Fairyland. My father is king of a neighbouring country, a country which is sorely troubled by a dragon.

JANE. By a what, dear?

MELISANDE. A dragon.

JANE. Oh, yes, of course.

MELISANDE. The king, my father, offers my hand and half his kingdom to anybody who will slay the monster. A prince who happens to be pa.s.sing through the country essays the adventure. Alas, the dragon devours him.

JANE. Oh, Melisande, that isn't _the_ one?

MELISANDE. My eyes have barely rested upon him. He has aroused no emotion in my heart.

JANE. Oh, I'm so glad.

MELISANDE. Another prince steps forward. Impetuously he rushes upon the fiery monster. Alas, he likewise is consumed.

JANE (sympathetically.) Poor fellow

MELISANDE. And then one evening a beautiful and modest youth in blue and gold appears at my father's court, and begs that he too be allowed to try his fortune with the dragon. Pa.s.sing through the great hall on my way to my bed-chamber, I see him suddenly. Our eyes meet. . . . Oh, Jane!

JANE. Darling! . . . You ought to have lived in those days, Melisande.

They would have suited you so well.