Page:The Sundering Flood - Morris - 1898.djvu/185

 hand from door-board, or foot from floor-board, till the time which I had appointed to him; and thee also I had sent to sleep till the very time when thou didst awaken e'en now. But what shall we do now? said I. Said Anna: We will abide here in the shaw: there is meat on the board for the guest, and his raiment will not be hard to find, and he knows where are his horse and his gear and his saddle-bags. I doubt me he will not be eager to say farewell either to thee or to me; for he is not man enough to take his sword in his fist against even an old carline and a young maiden. So into the shaw we gat us; as I have told thee, it is at the back of our houses but a furlong off. And there we lay till a little past noon, when we heard a horse going not far off. So we crept to the very edge of the wood and looked forth privily, and presently we saw our chapman riding off west with his saddle-bags and all, and his face was worn and doleful; at that Anna grinned spitefully, nor for my part might I altogether refrain my laughter. But thou dost not laugh, Osberne? He sprang up and cried out fiercely: I would I had been there to cleave his skull! Many a better man have I slain for less cause.

Then they were silent awhile, and she sat looking on him fondly, till she spake at last: Sweetheart, art thou angry with me for telling thee this tale? Nay, nay, he said; how might I live save thou told me everything that befell thee? Yet I must tell thee that I well-nigh wish