But soft, my Lord! abound not in thanks as yet, till I tell thee.
The said Captain hath gotten somewhat of the mind of a chapman
by dwelling in a town, 'tis like (the saints forgive me
for saying so!) and would strike a bargain with thee."
"Yea," said Ralph, smiling, "I partly guess what like the bargain is;
but say thou."
Said Roger: "I like not his bargain, not for thy sake but mine own;
this it is, that we shall ride, all of us who are to be of thy fellowship,
to the Castle of the Scaur to-day, and there thy Lady shall sit in the throne
whereas in past days our Lady and Queen was wont to sit; and that thou shalt
swear upon her head, that whensoever he biddeth thee come to the help of the
Burg of the Four Friths and the tribes of the Wheat-wearers, thou shalt come
in arms by the straightest road with such fellowship as thou mayst gather;
and if thou wilt so do, we of the Dry Tree who go with thee on this
journey are thine to save or to spend by flood or field, or castle wall,
amidst the edges and the shafts and the fire-flaught. What sayest thou--
thou who art lucky, and hast of late become wise? And I will tell thee,
that though I hope it not, yet I would thou shouldst naysay it; for it
will be hard for me to see another woman sitting in our Lady's seat:
yea, to see her sitting there, who hath stolen her luck."
Said Ralph: "Now this proffer of the Captain's I call friendly
and knightly, and I will gladly swear as he will; all the more as without
any oath I should never fail him whensoever he may send for me.
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