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Updated: June 14, 2025
"Like unto this flower for sweetness, lord, and ha, saints and martyrs! whence had ye that bloom, tall brother speak!" and Giles pointed to the rose in Beltane's fingers. "What like is she answer me!" "Alack!" sighed Giles, shaking gloomy head, "she is very like a woman, after all, methinks " "Mean ye the Reeve's daughter?" "Even so, lord!" "Doth she wear ever a a green veil, Giles?"
Now came Beltane and looked upon his company, tall, lusty fellows they, whose bold, sun-tanned faces proclaimed them free men of the forest-lands; and beholding their hardy look Beltane's eye brightened. "Comrades," quoth he, "we be foresters all, and the wild-wood our home and playground.
A panther-like side-leap, a whirl of glimmering steel, and his long blade smote sparks from Beltane's bascinet, whereat Roger's smile, incontinent, vanished, and his face waxed suddenly anxious and long. But fierce and fiercer the stranger knight beset my Beltane, the while he lashed him with mocking tongue: "Call ye this fighting, sir youthful outlaw? Doth thine arm fail thee so soon?
So saying, Ambrose the Hermit took from beneath his habit that for which Beltane had yearned, that same great blade whereon whose steel was graven the legend: RESURGAM. So Ambrose put the sword in Beltane's hand, saying: "Be terrible, my son, that evil may flee before thee, learn to be strong that thou may'st be merciful."
The day of the joust being come, forth they rode into the lists, side by side, each in his triple mail and ponderous helm, alike at all points save for the golden circlet upon Duke Beltane's shining casque. And there befell, that day, a mighty shivering of lances and many a knightly deed was wrought.
Beltane's voice was soft, yet, meeting the calm serenity of his gaze, Sir Pertolepe checked the jeer upon his lip and stared upon Beltane as one new-waked; beheld in turn his high and noble look, the costly excellence of his armour, his great sword and belt of silver and strode on thereafter with never a word, yet viewing Beltane aslance 'neath brows close-knit in dark perplexity.
Forthwith Sir Benedict did off his casque, and stooping, kissed her full-lipped, and meeting Beltane's eye, flushed and laughed and was solemn all in a moment. "Ah, Beltane, dear lad," quoth he, "I envy thee and grieve for thee! To possess such a maid to wife and to leave her so soon! May God bring thee safe again to her white arms.
Then came he to the fire and stood there, arms crossed, frowning down at the flame. "Greeting to thee, Waldron of Brand!" Swift turned Walkyn, his gloomy scowl relaxed at Beltane's voice, and stooping, he took and kissed my Beltane's hand. "Whence come ye, Walkyn?" "From going to and fro among the dead, seeking Pertolepe, master.
"Girl-faced, quotha?" he cried; and beholding his look, Gurth of a sudden loosed the swooning maid and, drawing sword, leapt and smote at Beltane's golden head; but Beltane caught the blow in his mailed hand, and snapped the blade in sunder, and, seizing Gurth about the loins, whirled him high in air; then, while all men blenched and held their breath waiting the thud of his broken body in the dust, Beltane stayed and set him down upon his feet.
But swift as lightning-flash, Beltane's long quarter-staff whirled and fell, and, for all his hood of mail, Black Roger threw wide his arms and, staggering, fell upon his face and so lay; then, fierce and grim, he had leapt upon the other two, and the air was full of the rattle and thud of vicious blows.
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