Page:The Sundering Flood - Morris - 1898.djvu/308

 and said: What will ye, warriors? Why are ye not in the battle with your fellows? Said one: Because our errand is here and not there; neither are those men our fellows. We be the servants of that goodly merchant who guested here a while ago, and would have bought the Maiden within there in all honour, and ye rewarded his good will with scorn and mocks and japes and scurvy dealing; wherefore he hath set these reivers on your folk, and hath sent us along with them to look to you. And two-fold is our errand, to bear away the Maiden without a price, and to slay thee. Hah! dost thou like it?

Now the Carline remembered the coming of the said merchant, and how he had cast his love on the Maiden unhonestly and lustfully, and would have lain by her against her will had it not been for the lore of the said Carline, who letted him of his evil will and sent him away shamed.

But now she muttered something under her breath, and looked on those men, and made signs with her fingers, and then spake aloud: Slay me speedily then, whiles ye are about it; for I take no great keep of life. The men handled their weapons, but nothing came of it, and they sat in their saddles staring on the Carline as if they were mazed. And even therewith ran the Maiden forth from the house, and cast her arms about the Carline, and cried out: Nay, nay! but ye shall not slay her! for as my mother hath she been, and none other have I had save her. But as for me, I will go with you without more words. But