'
Even so I deemed, and withal I was sorry for him,
for though he were uncouth and ungainly, he was no ill man.
So against my will I tumbled into the samelike mood as his,
and we both fared along drearily. But about sunset,
as we came round a corner of the cliffs of those mountains,
or ever we were ware we happed upon a half-score of weaponed men,
who were dighting a camp under a big rock thereby:
but four there were with them who were still a-horseback;
so that when Bull Nosy (for that was his name) strove to flee
away with me, it was of no avail; for the said horsemen took us,
and brought us before an evil-looking man, who, to speak shortly,
was he whom thou hast seen, to wit, the Lord of Utterbol:
he took no heed of Bull Nosy, but looked on me closely,
and handled me as a man doth with a horse at a cheaping, so that I
went nigh to smiting him, whereas I had a knife in my bosom,
but the chaplet refrained me. To make a short tale of it,
he bade Bull sell me to him, which Bull utterly naysaid,
standing stiff and stark before the Lord, and scowling on him.
But the Lord laughed in his face and said: 'So be it, for I will
take her without a price, and thank thee for sparing my gold.'
Then said Bull: 'If thou take her as a thrall, thou wert
best take me also; else shall I follow thee as a free man
and slay thee when I may. Many are the days of the year,
and on some one of them will betide the occasion for the knife.
Pages:
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472