Page:The Sundering Flood - Morris - 1898.djvu/107

 CHAPTER XVII. OSBERNE SLAYETH HARDCASTLE.

O they three went down together into the meadow, and there stood the others by the hazel-garth: the goodman cowering and abject, Surly John pale and anxious, and the two women clinging together in sore sorrow, the grandame weeping sorely. But as they passed close by these last, Stephen touched the grandame and said to her: Sawest thou ever King David the little? Nay, she said sobbing. Look thou into the hazel-garth presently then, said he, and thou shalt see him with eye.

So now they two stood in the hazelled field; it was two hours before noon; the sky was overcast with a promise of the first snow of winter, but as yet none had fallen, and the field was dry and hard. Now Hardcastle has Fiddle-bow bare in his fist, but Osberne takes Board-cleaver from his girdle and unwinds the peace-strings; then he stands still for a moment and looks toward his foeman, who cries out at him: Haste thee, lad, I were fain done with it. Then Osberne draws forth the blade, and it made a gleam of white in the grey day, and as the folk say who stood thereby, as Board-cleaver came forth bare there came a great humming sound all about. Then Osberne gets his shield on his arm, and cries out: Now thou warrior! and straightway Hardcastle comes leaping toward him; and Osberne abode him as