"Why not?" quoth the carle: "yet I warn thee that if thou beat me,
save in hot blood, I shall put a knife into thee when I may."
"O," said one, "thrust him through now at once, lord Ralph."
"Nay, I will not," said Ralph; "he hath warned me fairly.
Maybe he will serve me truly. Master Clement, wilt thou
lend me a horse for my man to ride?" "Yea," said Clement;
"yet I misdoubt me of thy new squire." Then he turned
to the men-at-arms and said: "No tarrying, my masters!
To horse and away before they gather gain!"
So they mounted and rode away from that valley of the pass, and Ralph
made his man ride beside him. But the man said to him, as soon as they
were riding: "Take note that I will not fight against my kindred."
"None biddeth thee so," said Ralph; "but do thou take heed that if
thou fight against us I will slay thee outright." Said the man:
"A fair bargain!" "Well," said Ralph, "I will have thy knife of thee,
lest it tempt thee, as is the wont of cold iron, and a maiden's body."
"Nay, master," quoth the man, "leave me my knife, as thou art a good fellow.
In two hours time we shall be past all peril of my people, and when we
come down below I will slay thee as many as thou wilt, so it be out
of the kindred. Forsooth down there evil they be, and unkinsome."
"So be it, lad," said Ralph, laughing, "keep thy knife; but hang
this word of mine thereon, that if thou slay any man of this
fellowship save me, I will rather flay thee alive than slay thee.
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