THE CHRONICLE OF CLEMENDY
ing eyes, then he broke silence saying "And yet that streaming sanguine cloud is pale beside the ardour of the petals of the Rose." Instantly his lady turned to him, full eagerly and impatiently, and said "What do you know of the Rose, who can gain a blossom for me, is it indeed so precious and beautiful?" "No man can tell its excellence," answered he, "its glory goes beyond all mortal wit, and they who talk of pleasure, not having smelt its fragrance, do but babble out of square, and speak of that they know not." And she "Ah, who will gain it for me, since my husband says that it is a lie and a deceit." And he answered "I, Rupert de Launay, have crossed the whirl of sand and the terrible billows of the quaking wilderness; and for you and you alone, I gathered a blossom from the fairest tree of all, that grows in the pleasaunce of the Cloud Castle of Rohalgo. Hark do you not hear the chiming of a hundred bells as from a far distance; for this is a sign from the Lords of the Land?" And indeed Eva heard bells enow deeply ringing, but 'twas within her brain they rung, for she was filled with rapturous joy. And she said "Give me the flower O thou true loyal knight, that I may satisfy my longing." But Rupert answered "That will I, but O my darling, my delight, my treasure, let me kiss thy lips and take thee to my arms, let me slake the thirst with which I am consumed; for am I not thy lief sweetheart who has never ceased to long for thee!" And without waiting for an answer he cast his arms about her neck and drew all her body and her face close to him, and kissed her lips as
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