CHAPTER XXXII: OF THE NEW KING OF THE CITY AND LAND OF STARK-WALL
When he awoke again the sun was shining brightly into that chamber, andhe looked, and beheld that it was peerless of beauty and riches, amongstall that he had ever seen: the ceiling done with gold and over-sea blue;the walls hung with arras of the fairest, though he might not tell whatwas the history done therein. The chairs and stools were of carven workwell be-painted, and amidmost was a great ivory chair under a cloth ofestate, of bawdekin of gold and green, much be-pearled; and all the floorwas of fine work alexandrine.
He looked on all this, wondering what had befallen him, when lo! therecame folk into the chamber, to wit, two serving-men well-bedight, andthree old men clad in rich gowns of silk. These came to him and (stillby signs, without speech) bade him arise and come with them; and when hebade them look to it that he was naked, and laughed doubtfully, theyneither laughed in answer, nor offered him any raiment, but still wouldhave him arise, and he did so perforce. They brought him with them outof the chamber, and through certain passages pillared and goodly, tillthey came to a bath as fair as any might be; and there the serving-menwashed him carefully and tenderly, the old men looking on the while. Whenit was done, still they offered not to clothe him, but led him out, andthrough the passages again, back to the chamber. Only this time he mustpass between a double hedge of men, some weaponed, some in peacefularray, but all clad gloriously, and full chieftain-like of aspect, eitherfor valiancy or wisdom.
In the chamber itself was now a concourse of men, of great estate bydeeming of their array; but all these were standing orderly in a ringabout the ivory chair aforesaid. Now said Walter to himself: Surely allthis looks toward the knife and the altar for me; but he kept a stoutcountenance despite of all.
So they led him up to the ivory chair, and he beheld on either sidethereof a bench, and on each was laid a set of raiment from the shirtupwards; but there was much diversity betwixt these arrays. For one wasall of robes of peace, glorious and be-gemmed, unmeet for any save agreat king; while the other was war-weed, seemly, well-fashioned, butlittle adorned; nay rather, worn and bestained with weather, and thepelting of the spear-storm.
Now those old men signed to Walter to take which of those raiments hewould, and do it on. He looked to the right and the left, and when hehad looked on the war-gear, the heart arose in him, and he called to mindthe array of the Goldings in the forefront of battle, and he made onestep toward the weapons, and laid his hand thereon. Then ran a gladmurmur through that concourse, and the old men drew up to him smiling andjoyous, and helped him to do them on; and as he took up the helm, henoted that over its broad brown iron sat a golden crown.
So when he was clad and weaponed, girt with a sword, and a steel axe inhis hand, the elders showed him to the ivory throne, and he laid the axeon the arm of the chair, and drew forth the sword from the scabbard, andsat him down, and laid the ancient blade across his knees; then he lookedabout on those great men, and spake: "How long shall we speak no word toeach other, or is it so that God hath stricken you dumb?"
Then all they cried out with one voice: "All hail to the King, the Kingof Battle!"
Spake Walter: "If I be king, will ye do my will as I bid you?"
Answered the elder: "Nought have we will to do, lord, save as thoubiddest."
Said Walter: "Thou then, wilt thou answer a question in all truth?"
"Yea, lord," said the elder, "if I may live afterward."
Then said Walter: "The woman that came with me into your Camp of theMountain, what hath befallen her?"
The elder answered: "Nought hath befallen her, either of good or evil,save that she hath slept and eaten and bathed her. What, then, is theKing's pleasure concerning her?"
"That ye bring her hither to me straightway," said Walter.
"Yea," said the elder; "and in what guise shall we bring her hither?shall she be arrayed as a servant, or a great lady?"
Then Walter pondered a while, and spake at last: "Ask her what is herwill herein, and as she will have it, so let it be. But set ye anotherchair beside mine, and lead her thereto. Thou wise old man, send one ortwo to bring her in hither, but abide thou, for I have a question or twoto ask of thee yet. And ye, lords, abide here the coming of myshe-fellow, if it weary you not."
So the elder spake to three of the most honourable of the lords, and theywent their ways to bring in the Maid.