Page:The Sundering Flood - Morris - 1898.djvu/347

 luckiest who may keep them out of this strife, as I may not. Yet, said she, be they not mighty men, these Barons? and all men say that their League is well knit together; so that at the worst, if they overwhelm not the Knight of Longshaw, they may hold them well against him. Lady, said he, by my deeming, if we crush not this valiant man utterly he will scatter us; he is not such a man, if he have any force left, as may be held aloof, as a man will hold a fierce sheep-dog with a staff till the shepherd come. To end it, since I am saying this to none but thee, I see myself so bestead that I shall deem me a lucky man if I bring back a whole skin from this war. It will be evil days for all of us, said she, if thou come not back hale and sound. It gladdens my heart that thou shouldst say so, quoth he; and yet I would have thee look to it, that if we overthrow this wise man and good knight, and I say again that must be utterly or not at all, there will be more moan made over him than over a dozen such as I; and that is no otherwise than it should be. Said she: I would thou wert with him and not against him. The Knight said kindly: Dear Maiden, thou must not say such words to me, for thou knowest that my part is chosen by my own will.

She said nought, but nodded and looked on him as one who understood and thought well of him; and he began again: So it is that yonder knight-messenger told me, amidst of his talk, that he had been but the other day to Longshaw