Yet many eyes I saw that desired my beauty.
And so when night came, he took me to his chamber and his bed,
as if I were his bride new wedded, even as it had been with us
on the grass of the wilderness and the bracken of the wildwood.
And then, at last, he spake to me of our case, and bade me fear not,
for that a band of his friends, all-armed, was keeping watch
and ward in the cloister without. And when I left the chamber
on the morrow's morn, there were they yet, all in bright armour,
and amongst them the young knight who had delivered me from
the felon baron, and he looked mournfully at me, so that I was
sorry for his sorrow.
"And I knew now that the king was minded to slay me, else had he bidden
thrust me from my lord's side.
"So wore certain days; and on the seventh night, when we were come
into our chamber, which was a fair as any house outside of heaven,
my lord spake to me in a soft voice, and bade me not do off my raiment.
'For,' said he, 'this night we must flee the town, or we shall be taken
and cast into prison to-morrow; for thus hath my father determined.'
I kissed him and clung to him, and he no less was good to me.
And when it was the dead of night we escaped out of our window by a
knotted rope which he had made ready, and beneath was the city wall;
and that company of knights, amongst whom was the young knight abovesaid,
had taken a postern thereby, and were abiding us armed and with
good horses.
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