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Prosper received the red robe and the sequins from her hands, and in time pieced the story together. It cut him to the soul. "Take me to the place where the dogs got her," he said in a whisper. Belvisee and Mellifont led him there.
"And they feed you?" "Yes." "Ah," said Isoult, "then I shall be at peace till my lord comes, if there are no men." "Have you a lord, a lover?" "Yes, he is my lord, and I love him dearly." "We have none. What is your name?" "I am called Isoult la Desirous." "Because you are a lover?" "Yes. I am a lover." "I will never love a man," said Belvisee rather gravely. "All men are cruel."
Visibly they wore nothing else. Mellifont laughed to see the scrutiny. "We must undress you," she said. "Why?" "You cannot run like that." "No, that is quite true. But " "Oh," said Belvisee, "you are quite safe. No men come where the king is." "The king!" "King of the herd." "Ah, the deer are near by." "All Thornhold is theirs. The great herd is here." "Do you live with them?" "Yes."
Then the elder with a little laugh shook her hair back from her shoulders, stooped quickly forward, and kissed her. Isoult sat up. "Oh, who are you?" she wondered. "I am Belvisee," said the kissing girl. "I am Mellifont," said the laugher. "Do you live here?" "Yes." "Is this Thornyhold?" "Thornyhold Brush is very near." "Will you take me? I am to wait there." "Come, sister."
Once more, then, he wasted his eyes on crushed herbage, black fern, and stained earth; again loathed himself very heartily for what he had not done; but in time understood what he had done. He turned deliberately to the sisters. "Belvisee and Mellifont, listen to what I shall tell you. There is no strength like a woman's, and no blindness like that of a man.
"That might not suit you, Isoult," said Belvisee. "Why should it not? Would it prevent my love to know him loved? I should love him all the more." "Hark!" cried Mellifont on a sudden. She laid her ear to the ground, then jumped to her feet. "Come to the herd, come to the herd," she whispered. Belvisee was on her feet also in a trice. Both girls were hot and bright.
"I will never have a lover, nor be a lover, until men know what love is," said Mellifont in her turn. "And what is love, do you think?" Isoult asked her thrilling. "Love! Love! It is service," said Belvisee. "Service and giving," said Mellifont. Isoult turned aside and kissed Mellifont's cheek. They had reached the low ground, for they had been walking during this colloquy.
Belvisee helped her up by the hand. When she was afoot Mellifont caught her other hand and kissed her in her turn a glad and friendly little embrace. Friends indeed they looked as they stood hand-linked in the fern. All three were of a height, Isoult a shade shorter than the sisters.
The deer were dumb animals for him, whose business had hitherto been to bleed not milk them. There were deer feeding in the glades of Thornyhold; but Belvisee was nursing her wound under the oak by the pool, and Mellifont was beside her. The deer snuffed an enemy in the friend of their friend; they gave him a lead astray, which unconsciously he took.
The herd had scattered on all hands long before this. Mellifont saved herself with them, but Belvisee tarrying to help Isoult was caught. A great hound snapped at her as he passed; she limped away with a wounded side. Isoult, too much of a woman and too little of a hind, stood still. She had closed with Fate before.
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