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1 84 MOONFOLK.
while the knights laughed aloud, and one said, " The
mantle would seem to be of far greater
value than the
horn, since the price is so much heavier. "Would it not
be well, brothers, that we all turn venders of mantles "
?
Without heeding words or looks, the boy
set his
basket upon the ground, and drew from it first a cloak
or mantle of purple silk, curiously and richly embroidered
with gold thread, with a sentence wrought around
the hem in a language which none of all the court could
read. It had a great golden clasp, set with a changing
moonstone, to fasten it about the throat, and it was altogether
so rich and beautiful a garment that any lady
might have been proud to wear it, apart from its magic
qualities.
Shaking out its rustling folds, and it
moving this
and turn-
way and that, the boy held it up to the light,
ing toward Guinevere's chair of state, he said :
" Will the queen deign to try my poor mantle " ?
" What, and give thee a kiss for it, malapert ! The
request is something over-bold," replied Guinevere
haughtily, and the king added more gently :
" Our queen's truth needs no proving, nor could she
bestow the priceless gift you ask, fair child ;
but these
her ladies, all true and good, as who shall doubt, may
well amuse themselves with the sport you bring them.
What say you, Lady Ermengarde? May the boy lay
his pretty mantle upon your shoulders "
?
" At your majesty's command," replied Ermengardo