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She looked on him steadily, and said softly: Nay, this above all things must
not be; and that it may not be is a part of the evil which entangles us. But
hearken, friend, once again I tell thee that thy voice is over loud in this
wilderness fruitful of evil. Now I have told thee, indeed, of two things
whereof we both wot; but next I must needs tell thee of things whereof I wot,
and thou wottest not. Yet this were better, that thou pledge thy word not to
touch so much as one of my hands, and that we go together a little way hence
away from these tumbled stones, and sit down upon the open greensward; whereas
here is cover if there be spying abroad.
Again, as she spoke, she turned very pale; but Walter said: Since it must be
so, I pledge thee my word to thee as I love thee.
And therewith she knelt down, and did on her foot-gear, and then sprang
lightly over the rivulet;
and then the twain of them went side by side some half a furlong thence, and
sat down,
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shadowed by the boughs of a slim quicken-tree growing up out of the
greensward, whereon for a good space around was neither bush nor brake.
There began the maiden to talk soberly, and said: This is what I must needs
say to thee now, that thou art come into a land perilous for any one that
loveth aught of good; from which, forsooth, I were fain that thou wert gotten
away safely, even though I should die of longing for thee. As for myself, my
peril is, in a measure, less than thine; I mean the peril of death. But lo,
thou, this iron on my foot is token that I am a thrall, and thou knowest in
what wise thralls must pay for transgressions. Furthermore, of what I am, and
how I came hither, time would fail me to tell; but somewhile, maybe, I shall
tell thee. I serve an evil mistress, of whom I may say that scarce I wot if
she be a woman or not; but by some creatures is she accounted for a god, and
as a god is heried; and surely never god was crueller nor colder than she. Me
she hateth sorely; yet if she hated me little or nought, small were the gain
to me if it were her pleasure to deal hardly by me. But as things now are, and
are like to be, it would not be for her pleasure, but for her pain and loss,
to make an end of me, therefore, as I said e en now, my mere life is not in
peril with her; unless, perchance, some sudden passion get the better of her,
and she slay me, and repent of it thereafter. For so it is, that if it be the
least evil of her conditions that she is wanton, at least wanton she is to the
letter. Many a time hath she cast the net for the catching of some goodly
young man; and her latest prey (save it be thou) is the young man whom I
named, when first I
saw thee, by the name of the King s Son. He is with us yet, and I fear him;
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for of late hath he wearied of her, though it is but plain truth to say of
her, that she is the wonder of all Beauties of the World. He hath wearied of
her, I say, and hath cast his eyes upon me, and if I were heedless, he would
betray me to the uttermost of the wrath of my mistress. For needs must I say
of him, though he be a goodly man, and now fallen into thralldom, that he hath
no bowels of compassion; but is a dastard, who for an hour s pleasure would
undo me, and thereafter would stand by smiling and taking my mistress s pardon
with good cheer, while for me would be no pardon. Seest thou, therefore, how
it is with me between these two cruel fools? And moreover there are others of
whom I will not even speak to thee.
And therewith she put her hands before her face, and wept, and murmured: Who
shall deliver me from this death in life?
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But Walter cried out: For what else am I come hither, I, I?
And it was a near thing that he did not take her in his arms, but he
remembered his pledged word, and drew aback from her in terror, whereas he had
an inkling of why she would not suffer it; and he wept with her.
But suddenly the Maid left weeping, and said in a changed voice: Friend,
whereas thou speakest of delivering me, it is more like that I shall deliver
thee. And now I pray thy pardon for thus grieving thee with my grief, and that
more especially because thou mayst not solace thy grief with kisses and
caresses; but so it was, that for once I was smitten by the thought of the
anguish of this land, and the joy of all the world besides.
Therewith she caught her breath in a half-sob, but refrained her and went on:
Now dear friend and darling, take good heed to all that I shall say to thee,
whereas thou must do after the teaching of my words. And first, I deem by the
monster having met thee at the gates of the land, and refreshed thee, that the
Mistress hath looked for thy coming; nay, by thy coming hither at all, that
she hath cast her net and caught thee. Hast thou noted aught that might seem
to make this more like?
Said Walter: Three times in full daylight have I seen go past me the images
of the monster and thee and a glorious lady, even as if ye were alive.
And therewith he told her in few words how it had gone with him since that day
on the quay at
Langton.
She said: Then it is no longer perhaps, but certain, that thou art her latest
catch; and even so I
deemed from the first: and, dear friend, this is why I have not suffered thee
to kiss or caress me, so sore as I longed for thee. For the Mistress will have
thee for her only, and hath lured thee hither for nought else; and she is wise
in wizardry (even as some deal am I), and wert thou to touch me with hand or
mouth on my naked flesh, yea, or were it even my raiment, then would she scent
the savour of thy love upon me, and then, though it may be she would spare
thee, she would not spare me.
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Then was she silent a little, and seemed very downcast, and Walter held his
peace from grief and confusion and helplessness; for of wizardry he knew
nought.
At last the Maid spake again, and said: Nevertheless we will not die
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