Chapter XVII.
OF ALADORE AND OF THE SANDS CALLED THE SHEPHERDINE SANDS.

THEN Ywain groaned inwardly, for he said, I am a fool and worse than a fool, and for a moment he hated himself and all that he had done. But afterward he considered a little and said, This comes not of folly but of newness, for I have not been used to live in two several lives. Yet by all seeming my lady does even so, and I with her: therefore she knew well that I was her sworn servant, dream in and dream out, and if I had bethought me of this I had never been angry. But now I have offended the second time, and how I am to meet with her again I cannot tell, seeing that she comes and goes like the wind among the leaves. So he went down the house and out of it, and set his face to go toward the sea, for he thought by carefulness or by good hap he might come to perceive that which before had been hid from him. And as he went he heard one call him by his name, and he looked about and saw the young man Hubert behind him coming quickly, and he stayed for him so that they went forward together. And as they went they talked, and this time also Hubert told Ywain all such things as he demanded to know, for whether feasting or fasting he was ever the same man, and his speech was restless and joyful.

And first Ywain asked him of the house of the shield, wherefrom he had come; and Hubert said that it was of old the house of Sir Ogier, but now of his daughter the Lady Aithne, for Sir Ogier was by his own outrageousness drowned and dead. And of the Lady Aithne he said that she was beautiful beyond telling, and therein Ywain well believed him, and then he said that she came never there, but hated them of Paladore and forsook them utterly, and Ywain laid that saying by, that he might ponder it.

Then in their talking they came to the wall of the city, and Ywain saw before him a gate that he knew not yet: and beside it upon the left hand was a castle, and a courtyard, and men afoot with halberds, and men ahorse with swords drawn, and many folk coming and going. And this, said Hubert, is the Great Gard of the Prince of Paladore, and it lies against the wall of the city and overtops it, and so runs a good furlong to the south: but on the east it stands above the city and looks down into it, as a tree may stand above a sheep-fold. Yet not so in truth, for in what place a tree stands, there will it look down on this side and on that, and not on one side only, as it is with this Gard of theirs.

Therewith he brought Ywain to the gate and so out of the city; and he turned about and showed him that on this side the face of the Great Gard was as it were blind, and in no way looked upon the sea. And Ywain was astonished thereat, for the place was passing beautiful, with a broad way beneath the wall, and a border of great trees, and between the trees the wide water, coloured diversely with green and purple colours. Then he looked out as far as eye might see, and as he looked he forgot Hubert and remembered Aithne, for he longed greatly to know what was the thing which she had perceived and he not.

Then he turned back in his thought to Hubert, and asked of him, What place is this, and for what reason so forsaken? And Hubert answered, Well is it that you ask this of me and of none other. For the place is called the High Steep of Paladore, and it is not forsaken but forbidden: for in Paladore the sea is held for a dread thing and an evil, and the great ones and those of the Tower and those of the Prince’s household will have it neither in sight nor in hearing, so that it is not so much as named with us, save now and then with women, or else with harpers and rhymers and the like.

Then Ywain said, Without doubt you make mirth of me, for I perceive that you are speaking one thing and thinking of another, as men use in jesting. But Hubert said, There is no mirth in the matter, save it be the mirth that covers aching bones. For at times we have sight from hence of that which in all the world we most desire, and well-begone is he that sees it: yet for this desire are we shamed and slighted, as children are hushed that speak foolishly among their elders.

But what see you, said Ywain, or what desire you to see? And therewith his heart began to go to and fro, for he knew that he was near his lady’s secret. Then Hubert laughed a little and made as though he would answer him: but he answered him as it were slant-wise, for he said, Their shame is a toothless dog; and again he said, They see but little that never see Aladore.

Then of a sudden he changed his manner of speaking, and went laughing and talking at great random: whereby Ywain perceived that he had done with that matter, and would have no more of it, until he should return into his former mind. So Ywain took counsel with himself to lay wait for him there, seeing that it behoved him greatly, for his lady’s sake, to hear tell of Aladore.

Then they two left the way under the wall, and passed out between the trees: and they cast themselves down upon the grass and lay there for a space looking towards the sea. And below them where they lay was the high steep, grey and green: and below the steep was a beach upon the margent of the water. And as for the water, that was of two kinds, for nigh land it was unvexed and still, as a deep river is still: but a mile out it was broken and foam-flocked, as it were a great green meadow and a thousand of white sheep thereon, and so continued as far out as eye could see. And Ywain marvelled to see the breaking of the water, for there was no wind and the tide was well nigh silent upon the strand. And Hubert told him that it was no marvel, for the water inshore was deep, so that a ship might go thereon: but out yonder, he said, no man may sail and keep his life, for the sea is full on every side with banks of sand, and the name of them is called the Shepherdine Sands, and many a one have they covered from all sight and seeking.

Then said Ywain, They are well named by the name of the Shepherdine Sands, for I see the sheep plainly; but tell me this, for what sake any man should go among them to peril of death? And Hubert said, For the sake of Aladore. Then Ywain thought to anger him that he might be the more certainly answered: so he Spoke scornfully and said, What manner of men are they that for such a sake will go to peril of death? But Hubert was no whit angered, and he said joyfully, Well worth the peril and the death; for they tell such tales of Aladore that if but the half of them be true, then may it well be the land of every man’s desire. And this you believe not yet, for you have not seen it, nor can I tell you on what day or by what enchantment you may come to see it: for a man may watch half his life in vain, and suddenly in the lifting of his eyes it will be there, between sky and sea, as clear as stone in sunlight.

Then, when he heard this, Ywain was silent for a space, and continued looking out to seaward: but he saw there nothing that was new, for he saw only the still water anear him, and afar off the blue border of the sky; and between them he saw that pasture perilous of the Shepherdine Sands.