" He did as she bade him,
thinking of her all the while till he came back to her fresh and gay.
Then he looked to their horses and gave them fodder gathered from
the pool-side, and so turned to Ursula and found her with the meat
ready dight; so they ate and were glad.
When they had broken their fast Ralph went to saddle the horses, and coming
back found Ursula binding up her long hair, and she smiled on him and said:
"Now we are for the road I must be an armed knight again: forsooth I
unbound my hair e'en now and let my surcoat hang loose about me in token
that thou wottest my secret. Soothly, my friend, it irks me that now
we have met after a long while, I must needs be clad thus graceless.
But need drave me to it, and withal the occasion that was given to me
to steal this gay armour from a lad at Utterbol, the nephew of the lord;
who like his eme was half my lover, half my tyrant. Of all which I will tell
thee hereafter, and what wise I must needs steer betwixt stripes and kisses
these last days. But now let us arm and to horse. Yet first lo you,
here are some tools that in thine hands shall keep us from sheer famine:
as for me I am no archer; and forsooth no man-at-arms save in seeming."
Therewith she showed him a short Turk bow and a quiver of arrows,
which he took well pleased. So then they armed each the other,
and as she handled Ralph's wargear she said: "How well-wrought
and trusty is this hauberk of thine, my friend; my coat is but a toy
to it, with its gold and silver rings and its gemmed collar:
and thy plates be thick and wide and well-wrought, whereas mine
are little more than adornments to my arms and legs.
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