,
whereas Sandy's music was of a kindlier sort. I knew his story well, and so I
knew how to interpret the compassion that was in his face when he bade me
farewell. He supposed I was having a bitter hard time of it.
    Sandy and I discussed his story, as we rode along, and she said that La
Cote's bad luck had begun with the very beginning of that trip; for the king's
fool had overthrown him on the first day, and in such cases it was customary for
the girl to desert to the conqueror, but Maledisant didn't do it; and also
persisted afterward in sticking to him, after all his defeats. But, said I,
suppose the victor should decline to accept his spoil? She said that that
wouldn't answer - he must. He couldn't decline: it wouldn't be regular. I made a
note of that. If Sandy's music got to be too burdensome, some time, I would let
a knight defeat me, on the chance that she would desert to him.
    In due time we were challenged by the warders, from the castle walls, and
after a parley admitted. I have nothing pleasant to tell about that visit. But
it was not a disappointment, for I knew Mrs. le Fay by reputation, and was not
expecting anything pleasant. She was held in awe by the whole realm, for she had
made everybody believe she was a great sorceress. All her ways were wicked, all
her instincts devilish. She was loaded to the eye-lids with cold malice. All her
history was black with crime; and among her crimes murder was common. I was most
curious to see her; as curious as I could have been to see Satan. To my
surprise, she was beautiful; black thoughts had failed to make her expression
repulsive, age had failed to wrinkle her satin skin or mar its bloomy freshness.
She could have passed for old Uriens's granddaughter, she could have been
mistaken for sister to her own son.
    As soon as we were fairly within the castle gates, we were ordered into her
presence. King Uriens was there, a kind-faced old man with a subdued look; and
also the son, Sir Uwaine le Blanchemains, in whom I was of course interested, on
account of the tradition that he had once done battle with thirty knights, and
also on account of his trip with Sir Gawaine and Sir Marhaus which Sandy had
been aging me with. But Morgan was the main attraction, the conspicuous
