But she moved
no more, and the grass all about her was reddened with her blood;
and at last I gathered heart to kneel down beside her, and found
that she no more breathed than one of those conies or partridges
which I had been used to slay for her.
"Then I stood and considered what I should do, and indeed I
had been pondering this all the way from the Dale thereto,
in case I should escape my mistress. So I soon made up my
mind that I would not dwell in that house even for one night;
lest my mistress should come to me though dead, and torment me.
I went into the house while it was yet light, and looked about
the chamber, and saw three great books there laid on the lectern,
but durst not have taken them even had I been able to carry them;
nor durst I even to look into them, for fear that some spell
might get to work in them if they were opened; but I found
a rye loaf whereof I had eaten somewhat in the morning,
and another untouched, and hanging to a horn of the lectern I found
the necklace which my mistress had taken from the dead woman.
These I put into my scrip, and as to the necklace, I will tell
thee how I bestowed it later on. Then I stepped out into the
twilight which was fair and golden, and full fain I was of it.
Then I drove the goats out of their house and went my way towards
the Dale of Lore, and said to myself that the carline would
teach me what further to do, and I came there before the summer
dark had quite prevailed, and slept sweetly and softly amongst
my goats after I had tethered them in the best of the pasture.
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