Page:The Sundering Flood - Morris - 1898.djvu/169

 received as It was given, very lovingly, and many a cup they drank together over him; but Stephen said ere his friends departed: Yet look ye, lads of East Cheaping, though this ox be mine, yet shall he not be the ox of the Eater; for slay him will I never, but let live on and on for love of our friends of East Cheaping so long as I may buy, beg, or steal a cow's grass for him.

As for Osberne, though he bought in the booths a pretty many of such things as were goodly and little, of goldsmiths' work and the like, to flit to his friend across the Sundering Flood, yet no gift would he take, save a very fair armour of the spoils of Deepdale: and this was no gift, said Sir Medard, but what he had earned himself by hard toil enough.

All loved him, but Sir Medard in especial, who had fain dubbed him knight; but Osberne would not, and said that such had been no wont of his fathers before him; and he looked never to go very far from the Dale and for no long while. And even if I may not live there, quoth he, I look to die there; and he reddened therewith till the eyes looked light in the face of him. But Medard said: Wheresoever thou livest or diest thou wilt live and die a great-heart. But this I bid thee, whenso thou hast need of a friend who may show thee the road into the world of needs, when thou hast aught to hide or aught to seek, come thou unto me, and be sure that I shall not fail thee.

Osberne thanked him from his whole heart,