But the face of Malabron was sad and tired and Huon mistrusted what message he might bring. He led him to the upper table and offered him meat and drink. But Malabron refused; saying:
“Lord Duke, my liege lord—the King Oberon— has sent me hither with this message. It is close now upon that time when he must go out of Elfland into Paradise as was foretold at his birth. Therefore he commands you and your lady to come unto him speedily that he may give into your hands the rule of his kingdom before he departs therefrom—”
Huon bowed his head and answered:
“Sir knight, I accept the command laid upon me by your dread lord and master. Let me but know the way that I must follow to come unto his land and that I shall travel.”
And Malabron replied:
“Get you and your lady down to the sea on the second morn from this, and there you shall find a ship awaiting you. It will bear you to the boundaries of our kingdom. But delay not, for our master is weary and impatient to depart.”
Having so delivered his message Malabron and those with him vanished out of the hall as if they had never been. Then did Huon summon unto him the Abbot of Cluny and Bernard. And he told them of the message from Oberon which he dare not disobey. And he ended in this wise:
“Since my kingdom will not be of this mortal earth I shall no longer walk among men nor sit here in the castle of Bordeaux. But my daughter Clarette is heir of my house and of my duchy and to your care do I entrust her. Keep her safe and guard well her inheritance until she comes to womanhood. See that the lord she weds is in all ways worthy of her so that she will be ever happy and blest!”
The Abbot of Cluny and Bernard were full sad at hearing these words and they longed for Huon to remain with them. But they knew that by the will of Oberon he had no choice.
Many tears did the Lady Claramonde shed as she kissed her daughter and bade her farewell. Also she said unto her lord:
“Elfland is truly not of this earth but the longing of a mother’s heart may well bridge the gulf which lies between. I do not think that I now say good-bye to this, my daughter, for all time.”
Then did she put into the hands of the Abbot her chest of jewels and order him to hold these until the maiden be of years to delight in their wearing. And she summoned all her women and bade them have special care of her daughter.
Thus did Huon and Claramonde make ready to depart out of Bordeaux for the last time.
XVII. HOW HUON AND CLARAMONDE SAILED FOR OBERON’S KINGDOM AND OF THEIR ADVENTURE WITH THE WHITE MONKS
In the dawn of the next day Huon and his lady bade farewell to Bordeaux and all those within its gates whom they loved with all their hearts, and Claramonde said unto her husband:
“My dear lord, save that this was your home where you were born and brought to man’s estate, I have little love for this city, for here have our sufferings been greater than our joys. But it is in my mind that Clarette shall be happier in this place than we have been, so do I go hence with a lighter heart.”
And she laid her hand upon the hand of Huon right joyfully and alone they went down unto the shore of the sea. There, even as Malabron had foretold, was a ship fashioned of all the fragrant woods of the East. And the nails which held the wood were of gold and silver, and the sails of fine silk, green in color after the uses of Elfland.
No captain trod the deck nor was there any crew on board to bid them welcome. But when they were safely upon her the sails arose without hands to bend them and the ship sped out into the ocean, as they watched the walls and towers of Bordeaux grow less and less behind them.
So for three days they were borne across the waves of the western ocean without danger or mishap. All manner of dainty food and drink was to be found and silk-hung couches awaited their slumbers. For the first day, the Lady Claramonde and Huon thought often, and with some sadness,^ of those left behind and spoke of them together. But as the time sped as easily as the waves of the sea they thought more and more of what would be their life in the days to come and they wondered as to what would be their fate in the strange Elfland which lay beyond the borders of the world known to mortal men.
On the fourth day they saw before them land, lying as a dark cloud upon the water, and almost at sunset the ship came into a small harbor where its anchor fell so that they knew that the voyage had come to an end. But as the night was almost upon them, the Lady Claramonde did not wish to leave the safety of the ship for the unknown shore where there seemed to be no manner of habitation.
Even as she hesitated there sounded clear on the evening air the tolling of a bell, such as might grace some church or abbey. And Huon, .smiling, said:
“Dear heart, list to that and have no more fear within you. For that be one of the signals of Christendom and if we are guided by it we shall reach good shelter.”
So heartened, she followed him from the ship and they went inland from the sea until on the far side of a hill they came upon a fair abbey set in wide green fields as a peerless gem is set in gold. As they came to the gate the bell left off its calling, but a multitude of doves wheeled across the sky and vanished beyond the wall.
When Huon rapped upon the wicket it was flung wide, and there stood a monk clad all in robes of purest white, who said to them:
“Enter, my children. Blessed be Our Lord for bringing you hither to shelter within our walls and give us opportunity to serve God’s creatures, for few come this way and we have but scant chance to practice Christian charity.”
Huon and Claramonde were brought into the guest house of the abbey and there received with great courtesy, such as might be granted a king and-queen. Thus, because their hearts were thankful for all the favors the Lord had shown them, they arose at midnight to attend mass.
But, lo, when the service was but half completed the monks left their places and filed from the chapel. Now did Huon seize upon the last one in the line, holding him by the full sleeve of his habit, and he cried:
“Sir monk, why mock you thus Our Lord, saying but half the mass?”
The monk tried in vain to pull free, making no answer. But Huon held tight and with his other hand he made the sign of the cross saying:
“By this blessed sign do I command you to answer me—what manner of monk be you and why is your mass broken?”
When Huon made the sign the monk shivered through all his body as if he were suddenly lapped by a chill wind. But he raised up his head and with his two hands he folded back his cowl so that they could look directly upon his face.
And, behold, it was dark and sad and not like the visage of mortal man, for there dwelt on his brow such sorrow as no one born of this world could bear and live. Seeing^ this Huon dropped his hold upon the other’s sleeve and he asked for the third time:
“Who are you—man or demon? Or be you one of the dwellers within the boundaries of Elfland?”
And now the monk made answer saying: “Neither man, nor demon, nor of the Fairy are we. Not of Elfland, or Hell, or of Earth. We are those who once stood in the ranks of Heaven. And when proud Lucifer made rebellion against Our Lord we did not take up the sword to him, but neither did we join those who strove with the hosts of angels. Therefore we were sent out of Heaven to this land which is on the border between the mortal world and that which lies beyond the world of men, but which is neither above nor below it. And here we must bide until the Day of Judgment. If then we can stand forth cleanly, without sin, but with pride to praise Our Lord with joyful hearts, then we may enter in again to our lost home. But the weary waiting is like a brand laid upon us and we have naught but everlasting regret to company us through endless time!”