Said Ralph to him: "Well, have I got me a servant and thrall good cheap?"
"Yea," said Clement, "if thou deem a polecat a likely hound."
Said the Captain: "Put thy sword through him, knight." Quoth another:
"Let him run up hill, and our bowmen shall shoot a match at him."
"Nay," said Ralph, "they have done well with their shooting, let them rest.
As to my thrusting my sword through the man, Captain, I had done that before,
had I been so minded. At any rate, I will ask him if he will serve me truly.
Otherwise he seemeth a strong carle and a handy. How sayest thou, lad, did I
take thee fairly?" "Yea," said the man, "thou art a strong lad."
He seemed to fear the swords about him but little, and forsooth he was
a warrior-like man, and not ill-looking. He was of middle height,
strong and well-knit, with black hair like a beast's mane for shagginess,
and bright blue eyes. He was clad in a short coat of grey homespun,
with an ox-skin habergeon laced up over it; he had neither helm nor hat,
nor shoes, but hosen made of a woollen clout tied about his legs;
his shield of wood and ox-hide lay on the ground a few paces off,
and his hammer beside it, which he had dropped when Ralph first handled him,
but a great ugly knife was still girt to him.
Now Ralph saith to him: "Which wilt thou--be slain, or serve me?"
Said the carle, grinning, yet not foully: "Guess if I would
not rather serve thee!" "Wilt thou serve me truly?" said Ralph.
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