"
Therewith he raised up his hand: but the weapon was stayed or ever it fell,
for the Lady had glided up to them when she saw that Ralph was overcome,
and now she stretched out her arm and caught hold of the Knight's hand
and the anlace withal, and he groaned and cried out: "What now! thou
art strong-armed as well as white-armed; (for she had rent the sleeve
back from her right arm) and he laughed in the extremity of his wrath.
But she was pale and her lips quivered as she said softly and sweetly:
"Wilt thou verily slay this young man?"
"And why not?" said he, "since I have just slain the best
friend that I ever had, though he was nought willing to fight
with me, and only for this, that I saw thee toying with him;
though forsooth thou hast said truly that thou hadst more reason
to hate him than love him. Well, since thou wilt not have
this youngling slain, I may deem at least that he is no devil
of thy making, else wouldst thou be glad of his slaying,
so that he might be out of the path of thee; so a man he is,
and a well-favoured one, and young; and valiant, as it seemeth:
so I suppose that he is thy lover, or will be one day--well then--"
And he lifted his hand again, but again she stayed him, and said:
"Look thou, I will buy him of thee: and, indeed, I owe him a life."
"How is that?" said he. "Why wouldst thou know?" she said; "thou who,
if thou hadst me in thine hands again, wouldst keep me away from all men.
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