Page:The Sundering Flood - Morris - 1898.djvu/322

 give me her price. But take heed that I sell her not uncompelled. And thou who hast eaten and drunk with me! I would I might vomit up thy victuals, said the Knight angrily; for then I knew not that it was thy wont to carry off free women from their houses while other folk were fighting. But I will have no more words with thee, save this, that thou shalt sell me also two of thy nags, that we may all ride and be away hence the speedier. Ho, Robert, go thou and take two fresh horses of the Chapman and saddle them straightway.

Now the Chapman named his price, and it was a big one indeed, no less than an earl's ransom; but the Blue Knight but nodded his head in token of yeasay, and the Chapman said: I suppose thou wilt not have all that gold in thy scrip; but thou mayst take thy bargain away, for as violently and strifefully as thou hast dealt with me, if thou wilt send the money in one month's frist to the hostelry of the Wool-pack in the good town of West Cheaping hard by here, and let thy bearer ask for Gregory Haslock to give him quittance. But for thine ill-dealings with me I shall give thee no quittance, but shall watch my turn to do thee a service. The Knight said all shortly: I shall send thy money as thou biddest; and then turned away from him, and took the Maiden by the hand and led her out of the tent, and the Carline followed them. So they gat to horse and rode their ways. But so it was that the Carline rode the last of them; and when they