"Then why does he not go and lay hold of the Spear?"
"It is in a powerful magician's hands."
"Can no one take it from him?"
"No one has yet succeeded in the quest," answered the knight. "But, boy, how did you like the service of the Holy Grail?"
"I could make nothing of it," said Parsifal, turning as if to go.
"Could make nothing of it!" exclaimed the old knight. "Truly you would not be much of a choir-boy. But where are you going?"
"I go to seek the Spear that will heal the King," answered Parsifal.
The old knight let him go without further words. He even shook his head in some impatience.
"Truly a guileless youth," he said to himself. "A little knocking about in the world will not hurt him. He is too foolish to do us any good here. And as to being a knight—pish!"
But just then the closing words of the service came echoing through the windows, and caused the old man to start. He had heard again the mystic song,