"
"Well," said the lord, turning towards Morfinn, "the catch is good,
lucky man: David will give thee gold for it, and thou mayst go back west
when thou wilt. And thou must be lucky again, moreover; because there
are women needed for my house; and they must be goodly and meek,
and not grievously marked with stripes, or branded, so that thou
hadst best take them, luckily if thou mayst, and not buy them.
Now go, for there are more than enough men under this woven roof,
and we need no half-men to boot."
Said David, the old man, grinning: "He will hold him well paid if he go
unscathed from before thee, lord: for he looked not to meet thee here,
but thought to bring the young man to Utterness, that he might be kept
there till thou camest."
The lord said, grimly: "He is not far wrong to fear me, maybe:
but he shall go for this time. But if he bring me not those women
within three months' wearing, and if there be but two uncomely
ones amongst them, let him look to it. Give him his gold, David.
Now take ye the new man, and let him rest, and give him meat and drink.
And look you, David, if he be not in condition when he cometh
home to Utterbol, thou shalt pay for it in one way or other,
if not in thine own person, since thou art old, and deft of service,
then through those that be dear to thee. Go now!"
David smiled on Ralph and led him out unto a tent not far off, and there
he made much of him, and bade bring meat and drink and all he needed.
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