Sir Aymeris, bring our dear ladies to the fairest
chambers, and do all honour and courtesy to them. And ye,
sweetlings, ye will not begrudge us that we go to seek your friend.
Thou priest, come with us a little apart, and tell thy tale as
shortly as thou mayst, and fear nought; we be not God's dastards, as
the Red Knight and his men.
Viridis wept and kissed her love before all folk, and bade him go and
do his best to find her friend, or never come back to her else. Much
moved, even to tears, was Aurea withal, and reached her hand to
Baudoin, and said: If any man on earth can help us it is thou. Go
thou. But Atra wept not, and but said to Arthur: Go thou, it is
meet.
Therewith were the ladies brought to fair chambers; but the three
knights went with the priest and Sir Aymeris into the solar, and set
a guard at the door that their talk should be privy.
CHAPTER III. HOW THEY FOLLOW THE SLOT OF BIRDALONE AND THE BLACK
KNIGHT
It was but five minutes ere the priest had told them all that need
was; so they let him abide alone there, though sooth to say there was
none of them but had good will to break his neck; and the same rede
had all three, that there was nought for it but to go their ways with
all speed to the Black Valley of the Greywethers, and follow up the
slot of Birdalone if it might yet be found; wherefore they bade
saddle their horses straightway; and while that was a-doing they ate
a morsel, and bade farewell to their lovelings.
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