Chapter IX

Toward the castle she made her way
(Hardly yet was the sun on the sea),
Toward the castle she made her way;
Knight looked at knight and looked away;
The women had never a word to say.

She came to rest before the door
(Hardly yet was the sun on the sea),
She came to rest before the door;
They heard the queen as she paced the floor,
And the king that asked her what would she.

"What do you seek, O where do you go?
(Have a care, it is hard to see),
What do you seek, O where do you go?
Doth one await you there below?"
But never a word, a word spake she.

Down she went to the one unknown
(Have a care, it is hard to see),
Down she went to the one unknown,
And round the queen her arms were thrown;
Never a word did either say;
Without a word they went their way.

The king wept on the threshold sore
(Have a care, it is hard to see),
The king wept by the open door;
They heard the footsteps of the queen,
And the fall of the leaves where she had been.