For thy horse is strong but heavy, as is meet for so big a knight,
and moreover he is many yards away from me and Silverfax:
so before thou art in the saddle, where shall I be? Yea," (for the
Knight was handling his anlace) "thou mayst cast it, and peradventure
mayst hit Silverfax and not me, and peradventure not; and I deem
that it is my body alive that thou wouldest have back with thee.
So now, wilt thou hearken?"
"Yea," quoth the knight, though for wrath he could scarce bring
the word from his mouth.
"Hearken," she said, "this is the bargain to be struck between us:
even now thou wouldst not refrain from slaying this young man,
unless perchance he should swear to depart from us; and as for me,
I would not go back with thee to Sunhome, where erst thou shamedst me.
Now will I buy thy nay-say with mine, and if thou give the youngling his life,
and suffer him to come his ways with us, then will I go home with thee
and will ride with thee in all the love and duty that I owe thee; or if thou
like this fashion of words better, I will give thee my body for his life.
But if thou likest not the bargain, there is not another piece of goods
for thee in the market, for then I will ride my ways to the Dry Tree,
and thou shalt slay the poor youth, or make of him thy sworn friend,
like as was Walter--which thou wilt."
So she spake, and Ralph yet lay on the grass and heard nought.
But the Knight's face was dark and swollen with anger as he answered:
"My sworn friend! yea, I understand thy gibe.
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