He went each night and stationed himself on the farthest border of his demesne, and there sang towards the said castle, notwithstanding the bitter cold, and the snow beginning to fall abundantly.
XVIII. Of the damosels Magtelt and Anne-Mie, and of Schimmel the dapple-gray.
While the Miserable was roaming the woods, Sir Roel de Heurne and the lady Gonde, his wife, richly clad, and wrapt round with deer-skins, which give particular warmth to the body, were sitting snugly on their coffers before their good fire of oaken logs, chatting together as old folk will.
But it was the Lady Gonde who spoke most, being the woman.
And she said:
“My good man, do you hear the storm raging furiously in the forest?”
“Yes,” answered Sir Roel.
And his lady said further:
“God has been kind to give us, against this great cold, such a fine castle so strongly built, such good clothes, and such a bright fire.”