Page:Wood Beyond the World.djvu/183

 Said Walter: Was the lion of her making or of thine then?

She said: Of hers: why should I deal with such a matter?

Yea, said Walter, but she verily swooned, and she was verily wroth with the Enemy.

The Maid smiled, and said: If her lie was not like very sooth, then had she not been the crafts-master that I knew her: one may lie otherwise than with the tongue alone: yet indeed her wrath against the Enemy was nought feigned; for the Enemy was even I, and in these latter days never did her wrath leave me. But to go on with my tale.

Now doubt thou not, that, when thou camest into the hall yester eve, the Mistress knew of thy counterfeit tryst with me, and meant nought but death for thee; yet first would she have thee in her arms again, therefore did she make much of thee at table (and that was partly for my torment also), and therefore did she make that tryst with thee, and deemed doubtless that thou wouldst not dare to forgo it, even if thou shouldst go to me thereafter.

Now I had trained that dastard to me as I have told thee, but I gave him a sleepy draught, so that when I came to the bed he Rh