noon
barren is this first farewell , as was our first meeting ; but surely shall there be another meeting better than the first , and the last farewell may be long and long yet . '' Therewith she stood up , and he knelt before her a little while without any word , and then arose and went his ways ; but when he had gone a space he turned about , and saw her still standing in the same place ; she stayed a moment when she saw him turn , and then herself turned about . So he departed through the fair land , and his heart was full with hope and fear as he went . It was but a little after noon when Walter left the Maid behind : he steered south by the sun , as the Maid had bidden him , and went swiftly ; for , as a good knight wending to battle , the time seemed long to him till he should meet the foe . So an hour before sunset he saw something white and gay gleaming through the boles of the oak-trees , and presently there was clear before him a most goodly house builded of white marble , carved all about with knots and imagery , and the carven folk were all painted of their lively colours , whether it were their raiment or their flesh , and the housings wherein they stood all done with gold and fair hues . Gay were the windows of the house ; and there was a pillared porch before the great door , with images betwixt the pillars both of men and beasts : and when Walter looked up to the roof of the house , he saw that it gleamed and shone ; for all the tiles were of yellow metal , which he deemed to be of very gold . All this he saw as he went , and tarried not to gaze upon it ; for he said , Belike there will be time for me to look on all this before I die .