Page:The Sundering Flood - Morris - 1898.djvu/166

 not refrain his tears; but the Baron laughed, yet somewhat hardly. So they two went aside into an ingle of the tower toward the town, while Sir Medard and his stood aloof awhile. Then turned back Sir Degore to them of East Cheaping, and said: Sir Medard, I pray thee leave to depart to my host, that I may do after the bidding of my lord. Yea, go, said Sir Medard; yet I would have thee remember that I pray for a long life for the Baron of Deepdale, since he hath become so good a friend to our town, and that thou wilt be in the wrong if thou do aught to shorten it.

So Degore went his ways, and he and those counsellors and leaders went back sadly to the leaguer, and fell to work to undo all they had done the six months past. And it was no long time ere the stout men-at-arms of Deepdale began to flow away from before East Cheaping, and the men of the town held good watch all the while; and ere it was evening divers bands of them went out-of-gates in good order to see that none of the Deepdalers abode in array in the leaguer, and found nothing there which they had cause to dread. And they took much spoil of that which the Baron's host must needs leave behind. Meanwhile Sir Medard and his made what cheer they might to the Baron; and Sir Medard showed Osberne unto him, and told him all the tale of the wolves and the slaying of Hardcastle, and did him to wit that much of the valiancy which they of East Cheaping had shown in the war came of this lad of Wethermel. And the Baron mar-