“Thanks, venerable friend,” replied Geraint;
“So that you do not serve me sparrow-hawks
For supper, I will enter, I will eat 305
With all the passion of a twelve hours’ fast.”
Then sigh’d and smil’d the hoary-headed Earl,
And answer’d, “Graver cause than yours is mine
To curse this hedgerow thief, the sparrow-hawk.
But in, go in; for save yourself desire it, 310
We will not touch upon him ev’n in jest.”
Then rode Geraint into the castle court,